Letter to Mark Ghilarducci, Director Office of Emergency Services - Huffman, Thompson Applaud $37 Million in Federal Funding Awarded to Sonoma County to Improve Local Fire Resilience

Letter

Dear Director Ghilarducci:

We are writing to support Sonoma County's application for the FEMA Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Grant. The $50 million dollar project will focus on nature-based mitigation to adapt to megafires that have unfortunately become part of the new normal for Sonoma County.

As you know, Sonoma County has experienced four major wildfires over the last few years including the 2017 Sonoma Complex Fires, the 2019 Kincade Fire, the 2020 LNU Lightning Complex Fires and the 2020 Glass Fire. In response, county staff and stakeholders have worked tirelessly to increase resiliency for residents and communities to effectively respond to future fires and other disasters.

Grant funds will be used to reduce or prevent regional property loss from wildfire by employing proven techniques and methods. These include deploying more defensible space around homes in high fire hazard areas, and structural hardening, and landscape level fuel break in parks and green spaces around densely populated areas. By working at a regional level this project will reduce wildfire risk throughout the county, while improving other community benefits for recreation and wildlife habitat.

Sonoma County is working hard to protect its community. It is critical that Sonoma County receives available resources to increase its resiliency and prevention efforts to continue to address the ongoing risk of wildfires. We request that you give this timely application your full and fair consideration. Thank you for your attention.

Source