The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection recently announced that it has awarded $10 million in grant funding to 17 projects that will strengthen California’s forest-sector workforce, reduce wildfire risk, restore forests and increase the beneficial use of woody biomass.
These projects are part of Cal Fire’s business and workforce development grants, which support innovative solutions that advance forest health, wildfire resilience and rural economic development. Funded through California Climate Investments, the grants support projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions while building California’s capacity to manage forests and address wildfire risk.
Two grant recipients include Plumas County in their service areas:
- The Feather River Community College District received $906,620 for its Higher Education Fire Training Program, serving Butte, El Dorado, Lassen, Plumas and Sierra counties. FRC and Chico State Enterprises, through the California State University, Chico, Ecological Reserves, plan to build on HEFT’s success by continuing to train college students and recent graduates in Plumas and Butte counties, while mentoring Lake Tahoe Community College in developing a prescribed fire training program. The program will also emphasize cultural fire training through direct work with local tribes and by hosting trainings led by Indigenous fire practitioners.
- The Healthy Forest Alliance Foundation received $2,023,033 for its Good Fire Training Network, which aims to scale California’s private lands prescribed fire workforce. The program serves Alameda, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Merced, Nevada, Placer and Plumas counties, with a statewide component. The program is a four-year National Wildfire Coordinating Group-certified prescribed fire and fuels workforce development initiative across California. Designed as a low-barrier entry point for people interested in hands-on forestry and wildfire resilience work, the program creates career pathways that do not require a college degree or agency employment. HFA trains students statewide, serving low-income and disadvantaged community participants.
“The strength of this year’s awards is the diversity of projects they support, from training the next generation of forestry and fire professionals to expanding businesses and facilities that put forest restoration materials to productive use,” said Cal Fire Assistant Chief and Wood Products and Bioenergy Team Program Manager John McCarthy. “Together, these investments build California’s capacity to manage forests, reduce wildfire risk and strengthen rural economies.”
Grants will support projects across California, including:
- Expanding wildfire risk reduction capacity through new forestry and mastication equipment that will increase the pace and scale of hazardous fuels and forest health treatments
- Increasing the beneficial use of forest materials through sawmill modernization, biomass processing, firewood production and redevelopment of a former mill site in Siskiyou County
- Training the next generation of California’s forest workforce through programs that connect students and educators with forestry careers and provide hands-on fire and forestry training
- Expanding the prescribed fire workforce through training programs that will provide hundreds of workers with certifications and field experience, including training for future California certified prescribed-fire burn bosses
- Building tribal and regional capacity through resource advisor training and workforce programs focused on forest health, wildfire resilience, watershed restoration and related fields
Together, these 17 projects will train hundreds of workers, create new career pathways, expand the capacity to conduct forest restoration and wildfire risk reduction and strengthen markets for wood and biomass generated through forest management, said Cal Fire.
Over the last five years, Cal Fire’s business and workforce development grants have awarded $129 million to 131 projects. These investments align with California’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan and efforts to expand the use of beneficial fire, improve forest health, protect communities, create jobs and increase the beneficial use of materials generated through forest management.
