Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) has awarded $950,000 in wildfire safety grants across Northern and Central California, including five local groups in Plumas County. Despite this year’s notably cool summer, wildfire risks remain high, prompting ongoing investment in prevention and preparedness efforts.
The California Fire Foundation (CFF), supported by the PG&E Corporation Foundation, distributed these grants to 63 fire departments, agencies, and nonprofits focused on wildfire safety. The funds will be used to purchase protective gear for firefighters, complete defensible space and vegetation management, reduce fuels and hazards, and conduct fire safety education and outreach programs.
Plumas County grant recipients include:
- Beckwourth Peak Fire Protection District: $3,550
- Bucks Lake Volunteer Firefighters Inc.: $15,000
- Meadow Valley Fire Protection District/Volunteer Fire Department: $10,000
- Peninsula Fire Protection District: $10,200
- The Healthy Forest Alliance Foundation: $10,000
Now in its eighth year, the partnership between CFF and PG&E Foundation has awarded $5.5 million to 431 grantees statewide since 2018. This year, an additional $200,000 was added to the program to increase community funding. Applications are reviewed with a focus on regions identified as high wildfire risk by the California Public Utilities Commission.
The Wildfire Safety and Preparedness Program (WSPP) also supports a multilingual fire safety campaign reaching residents in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Hmong. The program emphasizes early evacuation messaging and employs diverse media such as radio, TV, digital platforms, and outdoor billboards in high-risk areas.
Key impacts anticipated from this year’s grants include:
- Distribution of over 1,000 pieces of personal protective equipment (helmets, boots, gloves, goggles, fire shelters)
- Fuel reduction and vegetation management across multiple acres
- Removal and chipping of millions of pounds of combustible tree limbs and brush
- Conducting prescribed fires and pile burns
- Fire safety education benefiting over 1.4 million residents in 12 counties
- Acquisition of over 1,000 pieces of specialized firefighting equipment
PG&E serves 16 million people in 48 counties and continues to prioritize wildfire safety through partnerships like this. The total funding for fire safety awareness via the WSPP since the program’s inception exceeds $10.45 million, with over half dedicated to community grants. This funding is shareholder-supported and does
