The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) is now accepting proposals for its Wildfire Prevention Grants Program which funds local projects that focus on increasing the protection of people, structures, and communities. Activities include hazardous fuels reduction, wildfire prevention planning, and wildfire prevention education. 

Hazardous Fuels Reduction

• Vegetation clearance in critical locations
• Creation or maintenance of fuel breaks in strategic locations
• Removal of ladder fuels to reduce the risk of crown fires
• Creation of community-level wildfire prevention programs
• Selective tree removal (thinning) to improve forest health to withstand wildfire
• Modification of vegetation adjacent to roads to improve public safety
• Reduction of fuel loading around critical infrastructure to maintain continuity of government and other critical services
• Purchase of fuel modification equipment
• Projects to improve compliance with defensible space requirements
• Seasonal and temporary prescribed grazing consistent with increasing the protection of people, structures, and communities

Wildfire Prevention Planning

• Wildfire risk or related mapping
• Creation or update of strategic wildfire planning documents, such as:
  • Evacuation plans
  • Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP)
  • Local Hazard Mitigation Plans
  • Safety Elements
  • Wildfire Prevention or mitigation plans 

Wildfire Prevention Education

• Development and implementation of public education and outreach programs.
• Workshops, meetings, materials creation, and other educational activities with the purpose of increasing knowledge and awareness of information that could be used to reduce the total number of wildfires, acres burned, and structures lost
• To educate the public on regarding making homes and communities more wildfire resilient, including defensible space training. 

Sponsor’s website

 eCIVIS application portal

FY25-26 Wildfire Prevention Program Grant Guidelines

Applications Due: August 6, 2025 by 3pm
Maximum Grant Amount: $950,000
Match: Encouraged