Governor and legislative leaders tour fuels management project that helped protect a Butte County community from last year’s North Complex Fire
Early action funding invests in wildfire resilience projects including forest management, fuel breaks and hardening infrastructure in high-risk communities
Early budget action builds on the Governor’s announcement last week of an expanded state task force to deliver on key commitments of the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan
April 14, 2021 - OROVILLE EAST– Ahead of peak fire season, Governor Gavin Newsom on Tuesday signed a $536 million wildfire package enabling the state to take urgent action on projects that support wildfire suppression, improve forest health and 
build resilience in communities to help protect residents and property from catastrophic wildfires in diverse landscapes across the state. The Governor signed SB 85 alongside legislative leaders at a fuels management project in the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area that helped protect a Butte County community from last year’s North Complex Fire.
The legislative package builds on Governor Newsom’s early action funding for wildfire resilience proposed in his 2021-2022 state budget. It funds projects to restore the ecological health of forests and watersheds, fuel breaks around vulnerable communities, statewide fire prevention grants targeting projects to advance community hardening, and improvements to defensible space to mitigate wildfire damage. This early action plan is part of the Governor’s overall proposed $1 billion investment in forest health and community fire resilience.
“California is taking bold, early action to protect our high-risk communities from the upcoming wildfire season before it starts,” said Governor Newsom. “This crucial funding will go towards efforts including fuel breaks, forest health projects and home hardening. I thank the members of the Legislature for their partnership as we do more than ever before to build wildfire and forest resilience across the state.”
Source: Office of the Governor
