Adopt resolution authorizing the Yolo County Office of Emergency Services to submit a grant application to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CALFIRE) for the FY 2021-2022 Fire Prevention Grant Program to promote the use of prescribed burns in Yolo County. (No general fund impact) (Perez/Carey)

Adopt resolution authorizing the Yolo County Office of Emergency Services to submit a grant application to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CALFIRE) for the FY 2021-2022 Fire Prevention Grant Program to promote the use of prescribed burns in Yolo County.

	Thriving Residents
	Safe Communities

Numerous wildfires have occurred in this region over the past years, some forcing evacuations of residents. In 2020, the LNU Lightning Complex Fires burned more than 360,000 acres over the course of forty-six days in five counties including Yolo. The County Fire in 2018 burned more than 90,000 acres over the course of 18 days in Yolo and Napa counties. Efforts to manage recent fires have revealed the lack of unified planning, prioritization, communication and effective infrastructure related to fire management.

In FY 19-20, the Office of Emergency Services in conjunction with the Yolo County Resource Conservation District applied for and received a California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CALFIRE) grant in the amount of $314,054 to develop a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) for the western part of Yolo County. In continuation of fire coordination efforts, the Office of Emergency Services and Yolo County Resource Conservation District are working together to submit a FY 21-22 California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CALFIRE) grant proposal to promote the use of prescribed burns in Yolo County. The primary goal is to reduce the risk of wildfire through establishment of a Prescribed Burn Association (PBA). The PBA will be a landowner-led organization and will use other successful prescribed burning groups in California as models in its development. Association members pool their knowledge, people power and equipment to help other people in the association conduct prescribed burns.

The Office of Emergency Services will be working with the Yolo Resource Conservation District. The grant will be submitted to the County's Grant Oversight Committee for review prior to application.