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...
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