California Awards Over $5 Million of Climate Bond Funds for Local Wildfire Resilience Projects

February 23, 2026 – Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Awards Over $3.6 Million of Climate Bond Funds for Local Wildfire Prevention: The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy (SMMC) Board approved three grants, funded by Prop 4 (Climate Bond), to support efforts by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) to reduce wildfire risk in the Los Angeles area. MRCA received $2,065,500 to support reduction of flashy nonnative fuel, support defensible space, and remove hazard trees; $590,000 for workforce development, to train and deploy fire-ready crews for vegetation management and wildfire readiness and suppression; and $344,500 for structure hardening ad renovations for crew accommodations to support surges in staffing needs for Red Flag and fire events. In addition to the grants to MRCA, SMMC also granted $649,322 to Ventura County Fire Protection District in January for targeted fuel reduction, including fuel breaks, prescribed grazing, and roadside clearing.

February 26, 2026 – Wildlife Conservation Board Awards Grant to Support Biodiversity Enhancement and Cultural Burning: The Wildlife Conservation Board awarded a $1.75 million grant to Pepperwood Foundation, in cooperation with Conservation Corps North Bay, to restore 893 acres of oak woodland and grasslands in Sonoma County. The project reduces fuel loads, enhances biodiversity, restores native grasslands and oak woodlands, and brings back cultural burning as part of land stewardship. An additional $58 million of Climate Bond funding was awarded to projects advancing wildlife crossings, salmon recovery, and public access.