Grants play trump card to secure support

Layered approach to backing delivers needed infrastructure

A convergence of diverse staffing means and funding, borne out of the legacy of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, were cast in sharper focus through proactively confronting fire threats through a coalition of county services, and presented by a slide show at the Administration Building, February 27.

The coalition and collaborative also known by the acronym JADE and noted for their cooperative achievement of suppressing wildfire disaster over the prior 16 years, was illustrated in the annual review by Lake County Fire Safe Council Tuesday. It is led by director Laurie Hutchison, who updated the Board of Supervisors and the Chamber audience. The collaborative has been under the aegis of the county's Resource Conservation since 2009.

Honing its ability to deliver a resilient U. S. supply chain and work force to respond to such emergencies experienced during COVID-19 and critical shortages that emerged as a result, has been a coalition goal. Hutchison informed the chamber they recently completed an initial phase of county wide defensible space efforts aimed to spare structures from ladder fuel destruction from embers sparking among neighboring properties, in part, enabled through funding put together with cooperation of JADE grants. But in December because of a state issue, they were compelled to put a stop-work hold on the progress made thus far.

District 5 Supervisor Jessica Pyska managed to resume efforts recalled Hutchison, as well as District 3 Supervisor Eddie Crandell, who drew from each of their own district discretionary funds to cover the work. “So, we got a list of addresses for defensible space work to proceed in those areas,” Hutchison said. “I'm super thankful

to Supervisors Crandell and Pyska's help to allow us to do that without waiting for the other funding,” Hutchison said.

Hutchinson added that they will continue with their Community Mitigation Assistance Teams (CMAT) to keep that going. As well, they'll continue to build capacity with what is available- Hutchison counted herself as the only current member of the RCD. “JADE assisted with grant writing and administration and we'll support locals like Hog Back Ridge crew (with vegetation fuel maintenance),” Hutchison said.

It costs $2,550 per household to complete defensible space work, and with a crew of eight to 10, it can completed within three hours. “JADE has been phenomenal to me,” Hutchison said. “When we find somebody for executive director, we'll start on the Cailfornia Fire Safe Council Coordinator Grant. We're hoping to get the letter of support so we can go for the next round of funding. And that'll help fund myself, the JADE Collaborative and the Executive Director.”

There has been a lot done the last decade and a half to make the Fire Safe Council become more self-sustaining. Efforts are being expended to make the Fire Safe Council independent of the RCD so it can be intendent. And those efforts are getting close noted District 5 Supervisor Pyska. The Defensible Space program is something we needed a for long time,” she said. “People ask us about it because we have many seniors, low-income folks and vulnerable folks. And we know if we don't have everybody in the community covered by defensible space and harden home communitiesthen your neighbors can be susceptible, and we need a program to figure out how to make it sustainable and permanent.”

Because of an unresolved issue at the state level, the stop-order occurred last December. But after Supervisor Pyska met Deputy Director Frank Bigelow of Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation chief, things got worked out so that funding could resume. The county also has its regular annual defensible space preparation. “But this and last year we got hit hard by storms and lots of trees came down at higher elevations last year and lower elevations this year,” she said. “So, we'll need to expand it (defensible space) because in Cobb, massive numbers of trees are down everywhere.”

So, the letter of support has become a major issue. It will vividly inform the State Fire Safe Council that Lake County has been operating with Hutchison as its lone staffer, while Butte County operates with 52 employees, noted Pyska. It is hoped the letter will reopen another round of funding. “And when it comes for Lake County and the Fire Safe Council to separate as independent entities, it is a beautiful day,” she said.