Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Awards Over $3.6 Million of Climate Bond Funds for Local Wildfire Prevention

February 23, 2026 – 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 non-native 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 and 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.