Idyllwild recipient of wildfire preparation grants

Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed May 1 to 7 Wildfire Preparedness Week.

In his proclamation he wrote, “With California on the frontlines of this existential threat, the state is taking unprecedented action to make our communities more resilient to wildfire and improve forest health.

“Building on our past budget investments, I’m proposing an additional $1.2 billion this year as part of a total $2.7 billion multi-year investment to step up forest management and other projects that decrease catastrophic wildfire risk. We’re also advancing robust funding for firefighters and firefighting equipment, including new fire hawks and helitankers. Through a collaborative effort across 20 different departments, funding from last year’s budget has launched over 550 new wildfire resilience projects in less than a year, including critical fuel breaks, home hardening, and prescribed burns. These investments also supported new jobs and businesses to get this vital wildfire protection work done faster.”

Idyllwild is a recipient of this announcement. The California Fire Safe Council (CFSC) last Friday announced statewide projects totaling more than $9.8 million in funding to help communities stay safe across California this fire season.

Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council (MCFSC) Executive Director Kat Wilson said CFSC awarded MCFSC one of 13 Listos California trailers and tool kits (Listos means “ready” in Spanish). CFSC also awarded a $200,000 defensible space grant at the end of November 2021 that was launched January 2022.

Wilson listed all the current grant projects local residents may want to take a look at:

CFSC San Jacinto Fuels Reduction grant of $200,000

• No criteria to meet

• Customer pays 35% for fuels reduction

• $20,000 for education; $180,000 for fuels reduction

• Program dates are Nov. 30, 2021 to Oct. 31, 2023

Cal Fire fuels plan, Mountain Communities Defensible Space (MCDS) and tree removal grant of $750,000

• Tree removal, no criteria to meet

• MCDS, must be low-income, disabled and/or elderly

• Customer pays 25%

• Program dates are Nov. 15, 2021 to March 15, 2025

Cal Fire, USDA/National Forest Foundation partnership, Gold spotted oak borer (GSOB) program of $797,500

• GSOB Oak removal only, no criteria to meet

• Customer pays 25%

• Program dates are Jan. 1, 2022 to March 15, 2025

Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire GSOB Project Management Contract of $766,500

• Program dates are Nov. 1, 2021 to March 15, 2025

Wilson added, “We are still waiting to hear on our Cal Fire FP grant application for fuels reduction on unimproved parcels and our FEMA HMGP application for Home Hardening.”

For any of these programs, contact MCFSC at 951-659-6208, 951-659-3614 or [email protected], or visit https://mcfsc.org/contact/.

CFSC also advised residents on preparing with links to resources:

• Get alerts [https://rivcoready.org/alertrivco]

• Make a plan [https://cafiresafecouncil.org/resources/evacuation-guide/]

• Pack your go-bag [see above]

• Build a stay box [see above]