Related Articles
-Editorial
As federal funding for wildfire prevention faces uncertainty, the State of California is intensifying its efforts to reduce wildfire risks and restore forest health. Governor Gavin Newsom announced that nearly $72 million has been awarded by CAL FIRE to support large-scale, regionally focused land management projects across the state.
The funding, part of CAL FIRE’s Forest Health Program, will back 12 grants involving tribal, local, federal, and private partners. The goal is to improve ecosystem resilience, reduce wildfire hazards, and increase long-term carbon storage. Projects will employ various strategies including prescribed burning, mechanical thinning, and habitat conservation.
“California is accelerating its forest management work,” said Governor Newsom. “While the state manages just 3% of California’s forestlands and the federal government oversees 57%, we are acting with urgency to protect our communities.”
Since 2019, California has treated nearly 2 million acres of land for wildfire prevention. In the same period, the state has invested over $350 million into forest health projects on federally managed land. CAL FIRE reports that 83% of all tree mortality in the state—considered a major wildfire risk—occurs on federal land.
Among the newly funded projects is the Upper Mokelumne River Watershed Authority, which will conduct fuel reduction treatments on 1,288 acres in the El Dorado National Forest. The project aims to lower wildfire risk, improve forest resilience, and enhance wildlife habitat. Another recipient, the Redwood Forest Foundation, Inc., will treat 867 acres of forestland in Northern Mendocino County. This initiative is expected to generate more than 80 forestry jobs and provide training and employment opportunities for young adults through the California Conservation Corps.
The majority of these grants are funded by the Timber Regulation and Forest Restoration Fund, with additional financial support from California Climate Investments—a statewide initiative that allocates Cap-and-Invest funds toward projects that advance the state’s climate goals.
In addition to grant funding, the state has fast-tracked approval for 13 wildfire prevention projects totaling nearly 7,000 acres under a wildfire emergency proclamation that became operational on April 17. These projects include fuel break creation, ladder fuel removal, and the use of prescribed fire.
Approved fast-tracked projects include the Prosper Ridge Community Wildfire Resilience Project in Humboldt County, the first to move forward under the state’s emergency proclamation, which will treat 450 acres through mechanical thinning, manual treatments, and prescribed fire. In Los Angeles County, the Tonner Canyon South Project will address 354 acres by removing hazardous vegetation and creating defensible space. In Siskiyou County, the Scott Valley/Callahan Fuels Reduction Project will cover nearly 3,000 acres to enhance carbon sequestration, fire resiliency, and overall forest health. Meanwhile, the Sycuan Wildfire Resiliency Project in San Diego County will utilize targeted goat grazing to manage vegetation across 240 acres near the Sycuan Reservation, helping to reduce fire risk and improve community safety.
To expedite implementation while maintaining environmental protections, the state has introduced a new Statewide Fuels Reduction Environmental Protection Plan. State agencies will monitor all projects to ensure compliance with best management practices.
In a move to further accelerate wildfire resilience, $170 million in early action funding has been authorized through voter-approved bonds, part of the 2025 state budget package. The funding complements the Governor’s March 1 emergency proclamation and associated streamlining measures.
California has made substantial investments in wildfire resilience in recent years, committing over $2.5 billion since 2020 and proposing an additional $1.5 billion through the 2024 Climate Bond. The state has initiated or completed more than 2,200 vegetation management and landscape health projects, treating nearly 1.9 million acres between 2021 and 2023—including 730,000 acres in 2023 alone. To enhance transparency and coordination, California launched the Interagency Treatment Dashboard to track wildfire resilience efforts across federal, state, local, and private lands. CAL FIRE has also awarded more than $450 million for 450 wildfire prevention projects and conducts defensible space inspections on over 250,000 homes annually. Additionally, the state has expanded its aerial firefighting capabilities with the addition of a second C-130 Hercules air tanker and increased deployment of Uncrewed Aerial Systems and AI-powered technologies to improve early fire detection.