California Launches “FireSat” Wildfire-detection Satellites
California Launches “FireSat” Wildfire-detection Satellites
July 7, 2026 – The Newsom Administration announced the launch of the first three FireSat wildfire detection satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base, through a partnership between California and Earth Fire Alliance (EFA). FireSat is the first satellite system specifically designed to detect wildfires using frequent high-resolution data. These three satellites will begin delivering wildfire data within months, the first step toward a full constellation of more than 50 satellites by 2030 that will cover the entire planet every 20 minutes, catching fires as small as a schoolyard before they grow into megafires. These three satellites will use frequent high-resolution data to identify and monitor wildfires in real time — helping firefighters combat wildfires and protect life and property.
Board of Forestry Releases 2026 Fire Risk Reduction List, Showing More Communities Stepping Up to Prevent Wildfire
Board of Forestry Releases 2026 Fire Risk Reduction List, Showing More Communities Stepping Up to Prevent Wildfire
July 6, 2026 – The California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection announced the adoption and release of the 2026 Fire Risk Reduction Community List (FRRCL), recognizing 118 local agencies and one Tribal Nation that have demonstrated leadership in wildfire planning and community risk reduction. Collectively, the communities recognized on the 2026 list represent millions of Californians living in some of the state’s most fire-prone landscapes. Established by Public Resources Code section 4290.1, the Fire Risk Reduction Community List identifies local governments and special districts located within State Responsibility Areas (SRA) and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZ) that meet California’s best practices for local fire planning. The 2026 list includes 42 cities, 12 counties, 64 special districts, and one Tribal Nation. The program continues to grow significantly, increasing from 32 participating agencies in 2022 and 50 agencies in 2024, to 119 recognized entities now in 2026.
California Launches “One Less Spark” Wildfire Prevention Campaign
California Launches “One Less Spark” Wildfire Prevention Campaign
July 15, 2026 – CAL FIRE launched the “One Less Spark” awareness campaign which informs Californians on how safe vehicle and equipment use can help prevent human-caused wildfires. CAL FIRE is running paid advertising across digital, radio, and billboards in State Responsibility Area throughout California, paired with a statewide network of partners and organizations that will carry the message into their own communities. CAL FIRE has built a public-facing toolkit of ready-to-use assets, including social media content and educational materials that partners can adapt and share.
Steps you can take to prevent One Less Spark:
- Mow before 10 a.m.: Mowing the lawn on a hot, dry, or windy afternoon can be risky. If the mower’s blade hits a rock, it can create a spark. So, mow before 10 a.m. and avoid mowing on very hot or windy days.
- Secure tow chains: Dragging tow chains can send sparks into dry brush. Secure tow chains so they do not drag on the road while you are driving.
- Get a permit: Before burning debris on your property, check your local laws and get a permit if necessary. Follow safety precautions and always have a hose or other water source nearby.
- Park safely: Something as simple as parking your car on dry grass can ignite a fire. Your vehicle’s exhaust system can get hot enough to spark dry vegetation. Do not park your vehicle on dry grass — whether it’s by the side of the road or on your property — where the engine heat could start a fire.
- Use equipment safely: Welding, grinding, or using power tools near dry vegetation can start a fire if done at the wrong time or without the right precautions.
CAL FIRE Announces Availability of $20 Million for Wildfire Resilience
CAL FIRE Announces Availability of $20 Million for Wildfire Resilience
July 8, 2026 – $10 Million for Tribal Wildfire Resilience Grant Funding: CAL FIRE announced the availability of $10 million in Tribal Wildfire Resilience Grants to support California Native American tribes in managing ancestral lands, implementing and promoting Traditional Ecological Knowledge for wildfire resilience, and creating wildfire safety projects for Tribal and non-Tribal communities. Funded through the California Climate Bond (Proposition 4), Tribal Wildfire Resilience Grants fund projects in cultural and prescribed fire, fuels reduction, forest resilience, restoration of culturally important ecosystems, training, environmental compliance, and developing forest/fire management plans. Since 2023, $29 million has been awarded to 22 projects across the state, with project details available on the program’s webpage. Proposals are due September 8, 2026.
July 1, 2026 – $10 Million for Wildfire Resilience Block Grants: CAL FIRE opened a solicitation for Wildfire Resilience Block Grants with funding from Proposition 4. CAL FIRE’s Wildfire Resilience Program awards funding to build local capacity while providing financial and technical forestry assistance to nonindustrial forest landowners. The power of this program comes from the regional partner’s ability to set parameters for assistance that directly meet the unique needs of the landowners in their local region. Block grants are intended to deliver a large bulk amount of funding to a partner organization who then establishes a program of offering funding assistance to individual nonindustrial forest landowners. Concept Proposals are due August 7.
Sierra Business Council Conducts Survey to Help Inform the Task Force’s Workforce and Career Development Strategy
Sierra Business Council Conducts Survey to Help Inform the Task Force’s Workforce and Career Development Strategy
July 9, 2026 – Sierra Business Council (SBC) is conducting a survey on wildfire resilience workforce training to help identify gaps in current training opportunities and inform a future Task Force strategy to scale the wildfire resilience workforce. SBC is seeking survey respondents who provide workforce training and education related to wildfire resilience and/or employ or contract individuals to implement wildfire resilience projects. SBC will use the results of the survey to better understand existing training programs, identify unmet training needs, and improve training opportunities. The findings will help the Task Force identify the workforce training needed to support implementation of the 2026-2031 Action Plan and may also inform other state and regional workforce investments, policy decisions, and program design.
California Awards $19.5 Million for Multi-benefit Wildfire Resilience Projects Across the State
California Awards $19.5 Million for Multi-benefit Wildfire Resilience Projects Across the State
California state boards and conservancies are continuing to distribute funding in all reaches of the state to protect communities and promote wildfire and landscape resilience.
June 5, 2026 – Sierra Nevada Conservancy Awards $4.5 Million in Wildfire Resilience and Recreation Grants: The Sierra Nevada Conservancy approved nearly $1.5 million to new early action wildfire-resilience projects and just over $3 million projects to help boost recreation and tourism in the Sierra-Cascade.
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- In Nevada County, the city of Grass Valley was awarded $720,000 to treat approximately 240 acres of forested land in Wolf Creek, Boston Ravine, and other locations in the southernmost portion of the town.
- The Mariposa County Fire Safe Council was awarded $756,179 to reduce fuels on 192 acres in the southwest region of Mariposa County near the communities of Ahwahnee, Nipinnawasee, and Ponderosa Basin.
- $3,153,998 in funding from the Sustainable Recreation, Tourism, and Equitable Outdoor Access Directed Grant Program will help with planning and implementing of work to improve and restore trails and facilities in Butte, Kern, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Tehama, and Trinity counties.
June 2, 2026 – Rivers and Mountains Conservancy Awards $7 Million to Wildfire Resilience Projects in the LA Area: The San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy (RMC) Governing Board awarded over $12 million across four projects. These projects will increase wildfire resilience in some of the highest need areas within the RMC’s territory ahead of wildfire season, provide safe-healthy passage, and increase biodiversity across South Bay Cities. The projects include:
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- $3,520,000 to the National Forest Foundation for San Gabriel Mountains Wildfire Resilience Project which will implement hazardous fuel reduction on priority sites across the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument.
- $1,600,000 to the South Bay Council of Governments for the South Bay Biodiversity Plan and Demonstration project which will deliver actionable biodiversity recommendations for local governments and educate residents, while advancing co-benefits such as water conservation, stormwater capture, heat mitigation, and habitat restoration.
- $2,238,000 to the Catalina Island Conservancy for Pre-Fire Intervention and Nature-Based Solutions Project to reduce wildfire risk and create buffer zones on Catalina Island.
May 28, 2026 – CA Wildlife Conservation Board Approves $8 Million for a Multi-Benefit Project in Alpine County: The Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) awarded an $8 million grant to Western Rivers Conservancy and Alpine County to acquire 1,688 acres near Markleeville to increase wildfire resilience, protect wet meadows, springs, riparian habitat, mixed conifer forest and sage-steppe in the Eastern Sierra. Alpine County will manage the property for conservation, including continued grazing to help reduce fuel loads and support wildfire resilience, and year-round public access, including hiking, fishing, hunting and winter recreation.
CAL FIRE and SNC Announce Availability of Forest Health Research and Wildfire and Landscape Resilience Funding
CAL FIRE and SNC Announce Availability of Forest Health Research and Wildfire and Landscape Resilience Funding
June 5, 2026 – Sierra Nevada Conservancy Starts New Landscape and Wildfire Resilience Grant Programs: The Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) Board approved new guidelines for its Wildfire and Forest Resilience program and guidelines for a new Landscape Grant Program that will increase the pace and scale of forest health and community protection.
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- The 2026 Wildfire and Forest Resilience Directed Grant Program focuses on funding high-impact forest health planning or implementation projects that deliver strong, direct benefits to communities, critical infrastructure, or unique natural resources.
- The new Landscape Grant Program is part of SNC’s Landscape Investment Strategy and funds projects and activities that are designed to address ecological and community priorities, such as forest health, wildfire resilience, and watershed protection across a large landscape. Unlike many SNC grant programs, the Landscape Grant Program, also funded through the Climate Bond, does not have an open application process. Instead, SNC will identify potential Investment Ready Landscapes and collaboratives through an internal evaluation process based on regional expertise and longstanding engagement with partners and will invite selected collaboratives to participate in the program in fall 2026.
June 11, 2026 – CAL FIRE Announces Availability of $7.5 Million for Forest Health Research Grant Funding: CAL FIRE announced the availability of $4.5 million in California Climate Investments (CCI) funding and $3 million in Proposition 4 California Climate Bond (Prop 4) funding through the Forest Health Research Grants Program. These grants are intended to support research that delivers direct benefits to landowners, resource agencies, fire management organizations, and decision-makers across the state. Proposals are due 3:00 PM PST on July 30, 2026.
California Launches First Statewide Mass Timber Coalition
California Launches First Statewide Mass Timber Coalition
June 11, 2026 – The State of California announced the formation of the state’s first California Mass Timber Coalition, a new public-private partnership designed to accelerate the adoption of mass timber construction, drive forest health and wildfire mitigation efforts, and accelerate economic development across the state’s rural and urban communities. The Coalition brings together state and federal agencies, county and local governments, research institutions, industry representatives, forest sector organizations, non-profit organizations, and community partners to support the establishment of an in-state mass timber industry, advancing manufacturing and climate-smart construction with the goal of building resilient communities and advancing California’s forest health goals and climate initiatives. The Coalition will also work to establish state policy and regulations that drive positive outcomes for both utilization and manufacturing of in-state mass timber, as well as industry development and market growth.
Task Force Science Advisory Panel Releases New Report on the Latest Research Guiding California's Wildfire Resilience Efforts
Task Force Science Advisory Panel Releases Synthesis of Latest Research Guiding California's Wildfire Resilience Efforts
June 5, 2026 – The Task Force’s Science Advisory Panel released A Science-based Synthesis to Safeguard People, Communities, and Ecosystems from Wildfire in California (Science Synthesis), which provides a strong scientific framework for the Task Force’s 5-year Wildfire and Landscape Resilience Action Plan.
The Science Advisory Panel was tasked with synthesizing topically specific, science-based, and decision-relevant research findings to guide investments and actions to protect human lives and communities and reduce risk to ecosystems and the services they provide from extreme wildfire events in California. The Panel identified seven key messages, including:
- A brief overview of California’s wildfire crisis
- Socioeconomic and public health implications of wildfires
- Land use planning and design for protecting communities
- Wildfire impacts to ecosystems and the services and values they provide
- Applications and approaches to reduce extreme wildfire risk
- Post-fire recovery, reforestation, and management interventions
- The value and role of data, modeling, remote sensing, and novel technological applications
California Continues to Lead Nation with Recognition of 1,500th Firewise Community
California Continues to Lead Nation with Recognition of 1,500th Firewise Community
May 19, 2026 – California reached another major milestone in its efforts to strengthen wildfire resilience with the designation of the Woodfords community in Alpine County as the state’s 1,500th Firewise USA® community. This achievement highlights the continued statewide progress in supporting local communities as they work to reduce wildfire risk. The National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) formally recognizes Firewise communities that demonstrate a sustained commitment to preparedness and risk reduction. The Woodfords community reflects the deep history and longstanding connection that local residents and tribal communities have with the land. Today, Woodfords continues to demonstrate leadership in resilience and preparedness through its dedication to reducing wildfire risk.
The Firewise USA® recognition program, administered by NFPA®, is a voluntary initiative in which residents work together to implement long‑term wildfire mitigation practices. To earn recognition, communities complete several key steps, including establishing a local committee, conducting a Community Risk Assessment, developing a three‑year action plan, hosting public outreach activities, and submitting a formal application.