Written by: Amanda Angulo
On Monday, officials have announced that four San Diego firefighting agencies will receive up to seven-figure state grants to help fund their wildfire prevention and preparedness programs. The programs, specifically, are meant to reduce fuel, emergency planning, and fire-prevention education, according to Cal Fire.
The four grant recipients are: San Diego County Fire, receiving over $5 million, Pala Band of Mission Indians with a grant of $400,000, Urban Corps of San Diego County, receiving over $100,000. And lastly, Deer Springs Fire Safe Council with a grant of $24,000.
Cal Fire Chief Thomas Porter has commented on the rising wildfires this year and stated: “this year, wildfires have once again been extremely severe and damaging, which only highlights our continued need to perform more community-based fire-prevention projects.”
“Our wildfire and forest strategy includes funding these types of fire-prevention projects to reduce the severity of wildfires and harden our communities,” continued Chief Porter.
Last month during the Caldor Fire in El Dorado County, San Diego sent up the San Diego Humane Society to help save the animals impacted by the fire and provide a helping hand to the other volunteers working to stop and prevent the fire from spreading.
To accelerate forest health, fire prevention, and climate resiliency, Gov. Newsom signed SB 85 in April, with a state-wide budget of $536 million. However, Newsom should have made the effort way before the wildfire season started. Sadly, this is what we have come to expect. Newsom has an ongoing history of spending money on issues he has failed to account for in the past.
Photo from: AP Photo/Gregory Bull
