MONTEREY, Calif. – As wildfire season approaches in the Golden State, the California Fire Foundation and the Pacific Gas and Electric Company Foundation are once again jointly taking proactive steps so high-risk communities will remain safe and prepared for emergencies.
At a media event on June 12, the two agencies announced they were kicking off this year’s annual safety program, their ninth so far, with $1.8 million in grant funding through the Wildfire Safety and Preparedness Program (WSPP) set up nine years ago. The money is made available to underserved communities in high fire-risk areas and agencies are encouraged to apply.
With pictures mounted on stands between two fire trucks, media were given glimpses of nearby parks with their lush vegetation. Monterey Fire Chief of Station 11 Patrick Moore told reporters, some of whom had come from as far away as the Bay Area, that one of the things his staff ensures is that in high-risk areas there is adequate distance – at least 100 feet – between a tree and a home to prevent the rapid spread of a wildfire.
Since 2018, WSPP has provided around $12.25 million in grants from the PG&E Foundation to fire agencies serving Monterey County for vegetation management, specialized equipment and fire safety education, said Angie Carmigani, executive director of the California Fire Foundation.
Those things, she said, “can get lost in a budget” the state provides, she told the media.
More than 350,000 people in California live in towns sited completely within zones deemed to be at very high risk of fire. In total, more than 2.7 million people live in “very high fire hazard severity zones,” which also include areas at lesser risk, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Last year, the grants supported 1,500 pieces of personal protective equipment, including helmets, boots, gloves, goggles and fire shelters, among other items. The grants also helped to remove more than 33 million square feet of hazardous tree and brush.
The California Fire Foundation administers and manages the program. It has awarded 431 grants to fire departments and community organizations statewide, focusing its efforts on PG&E’s service areas of northern and central California.
A press release noted that the charitable contributions are paid by PG&E shareholders, not its customers.
WSPP has funded fire safety outreach campaigns, including 12,000 multi-lingual brochures targeting under-resourced communities in English, Spanish, Chinese, Hmong, and Vietnamese.
