“We are thrilled to partner with PG&E again to bring this vital community service to residents"

MARYSVILLE, CA (MPG) - This wildfire season, mobilizing Californians to protect their homes, businesses, communities, and the environment from wildfire is more important than ever. The work of local California Fire Safe Councils (FSCs) is critical to strengthening the safety and preparedness of local communities during the 2021 wildfire season.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) continues its strong support of local FSCs and non-profit organizations that are focused on reducing the threat of wildfires in its communities, with $2 million in grants for projects scheduled in 2021. Of that, $20,000 of that will go to the Yuba Watershed Protection & Fire Safe Council to support a defensible space assistance program.

“With our Community Wildfire Safety Program, we focus on reducing wildfire risk by meeting and exceeding state vegetation safety standards, continuing to harden our electric grid with stronger power lines and poles and by integrating new tools and technologies. But we can’t do it all alone. We need to work together and enable each other to prepare for this wildfire season, which is why the work of the local Fire Safe Councils is so essential,” said Peter Kenny, PG&E interim vice president of vegetation management.

Since 2014, PG&E has provided $17 million in grant funding to support local FSCs in their efforts to improve fire safety in communities. Typical FSC projects include reducing fuel, creating fuel breaks, and improving fire evacuation routes and emergency access roads.

The Yuba Watershed Protection & Fire Safe Council will use the funds to support the Yuba Foothills Special Needs Defensible Space Assistance Program of 2021, which helps residents unable to afford or perform the work themselves to create a defensible space on their properties. 

“We are thrilled to partner with PG&E again to bring this vital community service to residents, ahead of what has the potential to be a particularly challenging wildfire season,” said, Steve Andrews, executive director for YWPFSC.

For more information on the YWPFSC defensible space assistance program, visit https://www.yubafiresafe.org .

“PG&E’s vegetation management team members located in Yuba County have a close working relationship with Steve and his team,” said Joanne Drummond, supervisor for PG&E’s Vegetation Management Programs in the Sierra Division. “We work with the local Fire Safe Councils and other organizations to target areas of fire concern and provide our regional vegetation work schedules all with the goal of reducing fire risk in the communities we serve.”