Title
Office of Wildfire Preparedness and Resilience, a division of the Chief Administrative Office, recommending the Board consider the following:
1) Approve and authorize the Chief Administrative Officer to sign Funding Out Agreement 10311 with the El Dorado County Fire Safe Council (Council) to provide grant funding to assist the Council’s voluntary defensible space assessments, including education and outreach materials, and defensible space mitigation for eligible applicants in Western El Dorado County in the amount of $2,113,946.11, effective upon execution through March 31, 2029; and
2) Authorize the Purchasing Agent to execute any necessary amendments relating to Agreement 10311, excluding term extensions and increases to compensation, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management.
FUNDING: Bureau of Land Management Cooperative Assistance - Fuels Management and Community Fire Assistance Program Activities.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The Office of Wildfire Preparedness and Resilience was awarded a $10,000,000 grant from the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), to work with partner organizations to assist with fuels management and community fire assistance program activities to reduce the risk and impact of catastrophic wildfires to local communities through coordination, reducing the amount of hazardous fuels, and furthering the education of landowners about wildfire prevention and mitigation. This included partnering with the El Dorado County Fire Safe Council and fire agencies in the County to complete 30,000 homeowner contacts through a combination of defensible space voluntary assessments and defensible space inspections in the County, and, utilizing the El Dorado County Fire Safe Council Defensible Space Program to assist senior, low-income, disabled and veteran members of the community with defensible space clearance around homes.
Funding Out Agreement 10311 with the El Dorado County Fire Safe Council supports the Council’s efforts to provide defensible space assessors, trained to CAL FIRE Qualified Entities Program standards, to perform voluntary defensible space assessments, upon request, to residents of the West Slope of El Dorado County, and provide defensible space educational materials. The Agreement also includes funding to provide qualified applicants on the West Slope of El Dorado County with defensible space clearance at no cost to the homeowner. A public benefit is derived from support the Fire Safe Council’s efforts to provide voluntary defensible space assessments, including education and outreach materials, and defensible space mitigation for eligible applicants in Western El Dorado County
ALTERNATIVES
The Board may choose not to approve Agreement 10311 with the El Dorado Fire Safe Council.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
Legistar file 24-1067 - June 18, 2024 - Board accepted a grant award under the Bureau of Land Management Fuels Management and Community Fire Assistance Program Activities to fund the El Dorado County Fire Adapted Communities Program, in the amount of up to $10,000,000, which included provisions to perform up to 30,000 defensible space inspections and provide defensible space clearance for qualified residents.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
N/A
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no increase to Net County Cost associated with the execution of this contract as it is fully funded through the BLM Fire Adapted Communities Grant.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Safe and Healthy Communities
CONTACT
Tanya Harlow, Wildfire Resilience Officer
Office of Wildfire Preparedness and Resilience