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, APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Fire Chief, or designee, to apply for and accept California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) FY 2025-26 Wildfire Prevention Grant funding, in an amount not to exceed $950,000 for the creation of a shaded fuel break.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The grant request will not exceed $950,000. There is no local agency cost sharing requirement. District staff time and hand crew participation in the project is considered an in-kind match for the grant application.
BACKGROUND:
CAL FIRE California Climate Investments Fire Prevention grants support projects that focus on hazardous fuels reduction, wildfire prevention planning, and wildfire prevention education.
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 Project will result in the collective protection of over 3,600 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.
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 be completed by 2028, three years from the 2025 award date, in accordance with grant program requirements.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this action is not approved, the Fire District will lose out on the opportunity to apply for this grant, and if awarded will not have the ability to accept the grant funds.