Fire Risk Reduction
Total Projects: 5
We reduce extreme risk to coastal communities and ecosystems from large, high-intensity wildfires.
The primary goal of this strategy is to reduce extreme risk to coastal communities and ecosystems by increasingly common large, high-intensity wildfires. The projects are proposed by active collaborators on existing regional programs including the Santa Cruz Mountains Stewardship Network, the Central Coast Prescribed Burn Association, and the Resource Conservation District Durable Collaboration. The complementary projects are designed to generate the largest-scale positive impact across a wide range of communities and habitats, collectively reducing severe wildfire risk to over 120,000 residents across Santa Cruz and Monterey counties in areas classified by state agencies as “high” or “very high” fire hazard severity. The proposed wildfire adaptation activities include fuel reduction activities on over 5,000 acres, installation of over 6 miles of shaded fuel breaks, and prescribed and cultural burning on 115 acres. Cultural burning will be led by our Tribal partner, the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County.
