County Supervisors Pledge $1.5M In Fire Fighting Money

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors has approved $1.5 million in grants to reduce wildfire risk, improve evacuation routes, and strengthen the local workforce.

The grants will go to 10 wildfire prevention projects.

Funded through the County’s Vegetation Management Grant Program and administered by Sonoma County Ag + Open Space, the awards support on-the-ground fuel reduction, environmental planning, and workforce development efforts developed in collaboration with landowners, community groups, and fire experts, according to statements.

The program was created in 2020, using $25 million from the County’s settlement with PG&E following the 2017 wildfires, to strengthen long-term wildfire resilience, according to a press release.

The approved projects target ridgelines, evacuation corridors, critical infrastructure, and vulnerable communities, while also advancing environmental compliance for future large-scale fuel reduction efforts.

Recipients include fire districts, conservation organizations, educational institutions, and community groups working throughout the county, from the Mayacamas Mountains and Sonoma Valley to the coast near Fort Ross and Cazadero.

“Thoughtful investments and strong partnerships can reduce the growing threat posed by wildfires,” Board Chair Rebecca Hermosillo said in a statement, noting that the projects reflect years of planning with local fire professionals and community partners.

According to a statement, the $1.51 million will be matched by $1.36 million from various sources.

Since 2021, the grant program has supported 74 projects totaling $12.5 million, reducing fuel on 6,850 acres and training over 3,500 people, according to county figures. After Tuesday, $5.7 million remains for future vegetation management grants.

Supervisors also approved extending funding for the county’s vegetation management coordinator position until October 2027.

Hermosillo said the board is proud that several of the projects are within the Sonoma County Fire District, including funding to remove eucalyptus trees around critical water tanks in the Larkfield-Wikiup area, extending a fuel break in Foothill Regional Park, and creating defensible space around a communications tower on Siri Ridge near Guerneville.