Receive presentation on the Fire Safe Council project deliverables from Yolo County Resource Conservation District. (No general fund impact) (Tanya Meyer) (Est. Time: 10 min)

Receive presentation on the Fire Safe Council project deliverables from Yolo County Resource Conservation District.  

The Yolo County Board of Supervisors has designated the County Coordinator. The County Coordinator will persist in collaborating with the Yolo County Fire Safe Council’s(YCFSC) 20 voting members, local fire departments and fire protection districts, local nonprofit organizations, community Fire Safe Councils, and the Yolo County Board of Supervisors.

Tanya Meyer, Senior Program Manager at Yolo County Resource Conservation District, is the County Coordinator and coordinates the Yolo County Fire Safe Council. With the support of a dedicated team, the County Coordinator continues to facilitate initiatives related to wildfire education, community and agency coordination, project planning, and the procurement of grant funding.

Heather Nichols, Executive Director of YCRCD, oversees the program and its staff members.

Kate Reza, Program Manager at YCRCD, specializes as a grant writer and project manager, playing a pivotal role within the grant writing team.

Alli Permann, Outreach Coordinator, functions as a project manager and is responsible for developing external communications and educational content for YCRCD, Yolo County Fire Safe Council, and the Yolo Prescribed Burn Association.

Marcy Cathcart, Project Assistant at YCRCD, is a native Spanish speaker who is tasked with translating educational materials into Spanish.

In 2019, the Yolo County Resource Conservation District (YCRCD) began wildfire mitigation efforts in Yolo County. Since February 2021, YCRCD has held regular Fire Safe Council meetings, developed a website, launched a Reflective Address Sign and Neighborhood Chipper Program, completed the County Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), and started planning priority projects. YCRCD secured continued funding for projects in high-fire areas, with fuel reduction starting in March 2024, collaborating with CAL FIRE and local fire districts.

YCRCD also assists the Capay Valley FSC with Firewise certification for Guinda and Rumsey, and the West Winters FSC for West Winters. Outreach includes newsletters, press releases, social media, four-by-eight-foot fire awareness signs, radio ads, short videos, and mailers to inform less tech-savvy residents about wildfire prevention and Firewise community certifications.

New funding in 2024 enhances outreach to Spanish-speaking and high-risk residents. The County Coordinator continues to partner with Yolo County OES, local fire districts, and organizations like PG&E and Catholic Charities to coordinate various projects and support local FSCs. Monthly Zoom meetings facilitate updates on CWPP implementation, outreach, funding opportunities, and collaboration with the CAL FIRE LNU Battalion Chief. The Yolo County Fire Safe Council, composed of community groups, fire departments, and residents, has been engaged for four years to mitigate wildfire risk and promote fuel reduction and defensible space initiatives. Funding boosts collaboration with fire departments in western Yolo County to sustain project implementation across high-fire zones.

Yolo County Office of Emergency Services, local fire protection districts, and other Yolo County Fire Safe Council members to coordinate a wide variety of projects, PG&E, Caltrans, RISE Inc., DeColores, Catholic Charities of Yolo and Solano County, and Solano RCD