A recent Los Angeles Times article raises concerns about the future of wildfire prevention funding in California. While the state has made significant investments in wildfire resilience in recent years, many of the funding sources supporting that work are expected to decline or expire in the years ahead.
According to the article, California could see a substantial reduction in funding available for wildfire prevention and resilience projects over the next several years. Experts warn that the shift could affect efforts already underway to reduce wildfire risk through forest management, fuel reduction, prescribed fire, and other proven strategies.
As California prepares to elect its next governor, questions about the future of wildfire prevention funding are becoming increasingly urgent.
The issue is the focus of a new video from the Wildfire Solutions Coalition, which features voices from across California discussing what is needed to make communities and natural landscapes safer.
In the video, IECF President and CEO Michelle Decker shared this message for future state leaders:
“The average California voter really wants to solve this, and they vote with their wallets. They approve bond measures that invest billions of dollars in wildfire resilience. That’s a profound public trust. Not every electorate in the country or the world is prepared to do that. It’s incumbent on state leaders to treat that trust with respect and make sure that we can demonstrate to the voters that we’re making progress and show to the world that progress is possible.”
For the Inland Empire, there is much at stake. Continued investment in wildfire resilience helps protect lives, homes, infrastructure, watersheds, and the landscapes that define our region.
We encourage you to read the Los Angeles Times article and watch the Wildfire Solutions Coalition video to learn more about the funding challenges ahead and the solutions already being put into practice across California.
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