By: @Anna Callahan
Last week, CAL FIRE announced $90.8 million in funding for local wildfire prevention projects across California, with almost 30% of the funds awarded going to special districts. The State of California has entrusted special districts to carry out 24 of the 94 projects funded by this grant program. Other wildfire prevention grant recipients included fire safe councils, cities, and other entities.
The Wildfire Prevention Grants Program funds projects in and near fire threatened communities to improve public health and safety while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The program furthers California’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan and is funded in part through California Climate Investments, which puts cap-and-trade dollars to work.
In total, special districts were awarded $26,973,430 to prevent wildfires. Two districts, Bear Valley Community Services District and Placer County Resource Conservation District, were awarded two projects apiece, making for a total of 22 special districts receiving grant money.
Five special districts were awarded over $2 million dollars, including:
- Glenn County Resource Conservation District
- Resource Conservation District of Tehama County
- Ventura County Resource Conservation District
- Placer County Resource Conservation District
- Bear Valley Community Services District
Six special districts were awarded over $1 million dollars, including:
- Monterey County Regional Fire District
- Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation & Open Space District
- Leggett Valley Fire Protection District
- Truckee Tahoe Airport District
- Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District
- Shasta Valley Resource Conservation District
The remaining eleven districts were awarded at least $100,000, including:
- El Dorado Irrigation District
- Yolo County Resource Conservation District
- Yuba County Resource Conservation District
- Nevada County Resource Conservation District
- Idyllwild Fire Protection District
- Contra Costa Resource Conservation District
- Igo Ono Community Service District
- Tuolumne Utilities District
- Calaveras County Resource Conservation District
- Tuolumne County Resource Conservation District
- Ventra County Fire Protection District
CAL FIRE reported over 7,000 wildfires in 2023. Special districts are at the forefront of fortifying California’s wildfire response and resilience efforts, which is stated as a key priority of Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration. Projects that reduce fuel and support forest health help protect people, structures, and the environment from the devasting outcomes of wildfires.
For a full list of the Wildfire Prevention Grants, visit CAL FIRE’s website.
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