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Introduction
It is common knowledge that wildfires are an inherent element of the landscape of the state of California. However, the fire season there and generally in the West takes an increasing part of the year as time goes by. To no one’s surprise, the main reason for that is climate change. Considering how rapid and threatening the changes are, it is reasonable to assume that the state’s governance is supposed to pay extra attention to the allocation of funds related to wildland fire management.
Main body
In order to see how the issue is being addressed, one is to turn to the 2021-22 California Spending Plan’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Package published by the Legislative Analyst’s Office in October of this year. According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office (2021), a sum of $988 million is provided by the budget on a one-off basis for the implementation of proposals centered around preventing wildfires and improving landscapes. The package consists of $758 million granted by the General Fund and $230 million granted by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) for approximately 30 various programs governed by 18 departments. $541 million – that is, over half of the funds – support initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable forests and landscapes, usually by the removal of hazardous fuels.
Projects on public lands, along with grants to local administrations, tribes, and non-profit organizations, are to be supported by this funding. Around thirty percent of the funds’ sums – $282 million – are to be supplied for installing and maintaining forest fire flame barriers. The rest of the funds – that is, $164 million – uphold programs encouraging economic incentives in the forest sector, forest management based on science, community strengthening, and other initiatives.
Additionally, this package provides for an annual allocation of $200 million for forest health programs and wildfire prevention for the six following years, starting from 2022-23. Moreover, the language requiring that the Government provide particular information on every program related to forest sustainability that was funded in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 budgets annually is included (Legislative Analyst’s Office, 2021). As one can see, a significant portion of the budget has been proposed to be allocated for fire-related problem management.
If someone has an actual idea on how to prevent fires from spreading around California, CAL FIRE’s Fire Prevention Grants Program is the proposal for them. This initiative is aimed at funding local projects and activities addressing wildfire risks, reducing fire potential, and increasing community resilience. According to California Grants Portal (2021), some of the activities funded are the reduction of the use of hazardous fuels, planning of fire prevention, and education on fire prevention, with a focus on public health and safety improvement during the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. California’s Strategic Fire Plan is the guide for project development.
Criteria to be used for project selection include the threat of forest fires, the potential for carbon storage, and landscapes where projects would be most beneficial, for example, areas with increased tree mortality and increased threat of forest fires.
One might wonder whether these layouts are of any real use when it comes to action. The truth is that they are, and there are instances of organizations using grant funding. An example of that would be The Elk Creek Fuel Break – one of the 35 emergency projects devoted to fuel reduction and identified as a priority in the Governor’s Community Wildfire Prevention and Mitigation Report of 2019. According to Fire Prevention Grants Program, its completion was possible in part with a $325,000 grant from California Climate Investments.
In the eight years preceding the project’s conduction, the communities of Elk Creek and Stonyford had been affected by four major fires. Being aware of this, the aim of the project was to slow down and stoppage of fires from occurring in the future, protection of communities, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in particular areas. With the wildfires affecting these communities again in 2020, the Elk Creek Fuel Break has been reported to have improved road system access and slowed the fire spreading, which facilitated fire-fighting.
Another instance of successful implementation of grant funding is the follow-up to Turtle Rock Park Biomass Collection, serving communities in the East of Alpine County. This facility provides for collecting environmentally friendly waste and biomass from private ownership in order to make for defensible space and, consequently, reduce the risk of forest fires. It takes place twice a year – in the spring and in the autumn – for six to eight weeks each time.
It has been reported that from around 800 houses in the area, some 130 are using the facility to remove materials in order to establish defensible space on their property. According to Forest Health and Fire Prevention Program, between 4,000 and 7,000 yards of biomass on about 190 acres are collected, processed, and disposed of for composting annually, which is an efficient and environmentally appropriate alternative to the incineration of piles. The removal of biomass reduces the forest fires risks and utilizes materials that could be burned in wildland fires. It contributes to the reduction of forest fire emissions and greenhouse gas emissions from fires in tilled areas.
Conclusion
In conclusion, one might say that assigning money from the budget for particular issues can always be executed more wisely. However, in terms of wildfire management, it seems that everything that can be done is being conducted. In particular, it is evident that financing local projects and inventions is crucial in finding the key to reducing the wildfire’s negative impacts on nature and people’s lives in specific areas – and that should be continued.
Works Cited
“Fire Prevention Grants.” California Grants Portal. 2021. Web.
“Fire Prevention Grants Program, Elk Creek Fuel Break, Elk Creek and Stonyford.” California Climate Investments. Web.
“Forest Health and Fire Prevention Program.” California Climate Investments. Web.
The California Legislature’s Nonpartisan Fiscal and Policy Advisor. “The 2021-22 California Spending Plan. Natural Resources and Environmental Protection.” Legislative Analyst’s Office. 2021. Web.
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