El Dorado County and Associates Awarded One Million Dollars In CAL FIRE Grants for Tree Mortality and Wildfire Prevention
It was a tough decision for the CAL FIRE officials. They had to select from numerous grant applications from various organizations in the County. Eight projects were selected out of more than 20 applications. Award dollars for the county were $1,068,840 which places us number 4 in the state. The implementation of the wildfire prevention and tree mortality projects will start in the spring of 2017. The grants awarded were:
1. Auburn Lake Trails Fire Safety and Improvement Council – Removal of Dead or Dying Trees $200,000
2. Auburn Lake Trails Fire Safety and Improvement Council – Fuels Treatment $110,000
3. County of El Dorado (See the County website for details) – Removal of Dead or Dying Trees $200,000
4. El Dorado Irrigation District – Removal of Dead or Dying Trees $200,000
5. El Dorado County Fire Safe Council (Lakehills FSC) – Fuels Treatment $133,001
6. Grizzly Flats Fire Safe Council – Removal of Dead or Dying Trees $200,000
7. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency – Public Education $14,639
8. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency – Planning $11,200
There were seven grant proposals submitted by the El Dorado County Fire Safe Council and Associates that were not selected. The proposals total $1,246,459. The proposals were prepared by community volunteers who expended their time, energy and talent to help to make our county more resistant to wildfire. Their efforts are to be commended. Although these grants were not awarded this cycle, they will be a “springboard” to future grant opportunities. One of the major disappointments was the County Chipping Program was not selected, which means the program will have to be suspended early next year until other funding can be obtained.
1. Patterson Ranch FSC – Fuel Reduction $93,641
2. Pollock Pines FSC Weber Creek – Sly Park Fuel Reduction $199,074
3. El Dorado County FSC – Chipping Program $199,586
4. Cool-Pilot Hill FSC – Community Outreach $155,674
5. El Dorado County FSC – Removal of Dead or Dying Trees $199,288
6. Pollock Pines FSC – Removal of Dead or Dying Trees $199,908
7. Pleasant Valley FSC – Removal of Dead or Dying Trees $199,288
For more information about the CAL FIRE grant program and to see all the grants awarded state wide please visit www.calfire.ca.gov
For more information about the El Dorado County Fire Safe Council (EDCFSC) and the Associate Community councils visit our webpage at www.edcfiresafe.org
For information about the County Government’s Hazard Tree Program visit the El Dorado County webpage www.edcgov.us