GETTING LOCAL: Protecting People from Wildfires & Disasters

SACRAMENTO – As climate change creates more extreme weather, like wildfires and flooding, California is stepping up efforts to support people on the frontlines.

Governor Gavin Newsom announced that local communities would be receiving $72 million to prevent destructive wildfires and $25 million to bolster disaster warning systems.

PREVENTING DESTRUCTIVE WILDFIRES: The Department of Conservation, through the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity (RFFC) program, awarded more than $72 million to communities across the state to build fire-resilient communities. This brings total investments to $140 million for regions working to improve ecosystem health, community wildfire preparedness, and fire resilience – part of $2.7 billion the Newsom Administration has committed to achieve the goals of the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan.

Watch these videos to hear from some grantees describing how this funding helps their work:

WATCH: East Bay Regional Parks District

WATCH: North Coast Resource Partnership

BOLSTERING DISASTER WARNING: Listos California was created by Gov. Newsom after the deadly 2019 Camp Fire made clear that a more expanded and culturally competent disaster warning system was needed. The $25 million in grants distributed to more than 70 community partners will expand these services in areas of the state most susceptible to emergencies, with a focus on vulnerable communities – older adults, people with disabilities, the homeless, immigrants and refugees, as well rural Californians and those living in areas with limited broadband access.

Interactive map of grantees

Already this year, Listos California has provided more than one million Californians with personalized interactions, meeting Californians where they are and helping them prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. Listos California played a prominent role in the state’s response to devastating winter storms, mobilizing teams of community members to make personalized, unique phone calls to more than 2 million Californians at risk of flooding and signing up nearly 50,000 households for emergency alerts.