To: Board of Supervisors
From: Lewis Broschard, Chief, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District
Report Title: CAL FIRE California Climate Investments Fire Prevention Grants Program
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Acting as the governing board of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, RATIFY the Fire District’s application for the California Fire Safe Council’s 2025 State Fire Capacity (SFC) Grant program, and APPROVE the Fire District to accept, if awarded, grant funds in an amount not to exceed $225,000 for the creation of a shaded fuel break.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The grant request will not exceed $225,000. There is a cost share of 1.5 times the awarded amount, which would be $337,500. The Fire District’s cost-sharing requirement is currently allocated from Measure X funds for wildfire mitigation.
BACKGROUND:
The California Fire Safe Council (CFSC) supports hazardous fuels reduction, community wildfire prevention planning, and education and mitigation activities across California through the 2025 State Fire Capacity (SFC) Grant Program.
The East Richmond Heights Shaded Fuel Break (Project) will significantly reduce the threat of uncontrolled wildfire and associated greenhouse gas emissions by reducing high fuel concentrations and disrupting the horizontal and vertical continuity of fuel beds. The tree canopy formed by healthy mature trees will remain largely intact to reduce the future growth of brush and understory vegetation and to preserve sequestered carbon in existing trees. The desired result is to restore fuel loading to more natural levels that can be maintained by the periodic introduction of prescribed fire or goat grazing.
This phase two Project will result in the protection of residents in East Richmond Heights by creating a shaded fuel break approximately three miles in length. Expected outcomes include reduction of biomass of woody and vegetative material available for combustion; significant reduction in the probability of uncontrolled wildfires from starting or entering the area; increasing the effectiveness of defensible space surrounding residential structures in the area; decreasing the amount of woody and vegetative material that is available for conversion to greenhouse gases by unplanned wildfire; and providing for a safer community. The Project is a fuels reduction effort that will involve the use of goat grazing, hand crews, chippers and medium duty excavators equipped with forestry rotary brush cutters on articulating arms. The excavators will work from existing fire trails or roads to reduce soil disturbance and will focus on removing ladder fuels and accumulated ground fuels within mechanical reach of a fire trail or road. In areas that the excavators cannot reach, work will be accomplished using hand crews, chippers, and pile burning.
Grant applications were due on or before August 31, 2025, and the Fire District has timely completed the application.
Once awarded the grant, the Fire District will initiate a public outreach campaign to community stakeholders and environmental advocacy groups to build momentum and support for the project. Simultaneously, the Fire District will post an RFP for hand crew/masticator contractors. As contracts are awarded, the Fire District will begin scheduling work units, depending on time of year and weather conditions.
All project and activity work related to the grant will work in the performance period of December 1, 2025 with an anticipated completion date no later than November 30, 2027, in accordance with grant program requirements.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this action is not ratified, the Fire District will lose out on the opportunity and ability, if awarded, to accept the grant funds.