As part of California’s strategy to prepare properties and communities against the devastating impacts of wildfire, Cal Fire announced it will award $62.7 million in funding for 84 local wildfire prevention projects across the state, including 41 projects in low-income and disadvantaged communities.

Among the awardees are two projects that will benefit southern Lake County.

Over the last six years, Cal Fire has awarded more than $566 million in Wildfire Prevention Grants to over 575 projects across the state.

“These grants represent more than just funding — they are a direct investment in the safety and resilience of our communities,” said Cal FireDirector/Chief Joe Tyler. “By supporting local projects that reduce risk and strengthen preparedness, communities are empowered to take meaningful action before wildfire strikes.”

Cal Fire’s Wildfire Prevention Grants enable local organizations like fire safe councils to implement activities that address the hazards of wildfire and reduce wildfire risk to communities. 

Funded activities include hazardous fuel reduction, wildfire prevention planning, and wildfire prevention education. These projects all meet the goals and objectives of California’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan, as well as the Strategic Fire Plan for California.

Awardees include the second phase of the South Lake County Fire Protection District’s Middletown and Cobb community evacuation routes project, which will receive $847,654.40.

The project will treat approximately 528 acres along 29 miles of area roads, is focused on
improving evacuation routes for residents, improving emergency response vehicle safety/ingress to wildland urban interface homes and reducing fire intensity from
approaching wildfires within and adjacent to the South Lake County Fire Protection District. 

The project will reduce the risk to the community by improving evacuation routes and control lines by removing vegetation and hazardous trees posing imminent threat to public rights-of-way.

The Napa Communities Firewise Foundation will receive $949,941.60 for its Lake-Napa County WUI, Roadside and Prescribed Burn Project.

The project funds wildfire risk reduction in three areas. In southern Lake County, a 50-
acre prescribed burn on the Middletown Rancheria will mitigate fire risk near homes. Northern Napa County will see a 70-acre roadside clearance project on Montesol Ranch to improve the evacuation route on Highway 29. Southern Napa County will have 47 acres of vegetation cleared in the foothills to protect communities in a high-risk wildland-urban interface.

“California’s wildfire prevention strategy is rooted in proactive, community-driven solutions,” said State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant. “The grantees who carry out this work locally are vital to this strategy. These 84 projects will make a difference in reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire and strengthening public safety.”

The Wildfire Prevention Grants Program is funded as part of the State’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Strategy, in part with Cap-and-Invest auction proceeds administered by the California Climate Investments or CCI, Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. 

CCI is a statewide program that puts billions of Cap-and-Invest dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment - particularly in disadvantaged communities.