$5.9M in CAL FIRE Grants Boost Forest Resilience Across North Bay Counties

Big news for forest health and wildfire resilience in Northern California: with CLERC’s help, Conservation Works, a nonprofit dedicated to environmental protection in the North Coast region, has been awarded more than $5.9 million in funding from CAL FIRE’s Wildfire Resilience Program. This significant investment will support the expansion of the North Bay Forest Improvement Program (NBFIP) across Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake, and Napa counties.

Mt. Konocti overlooking Clear Lake in Lake County, California.

These funds will help private landowners improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk—especially in disadvantaged communities. The grants will support planning and implementation of land management projects on approximately 2,000 acres, impacting nearly 200 landowners.

“In the four counties we serve, privately owned forest lands make up a large majority—90% in Sonoma County alone,” said Oona Heacock, Executive Director of Conservation Works. “This program empowers landowners to proactively reduce wildfire risks and adapt to the growing challenges of drought, heat, and fire.”

NBFIP is a collaborative effort between several local organizations, including:

• Conservation Works

• Mendocino Resource Conservation District

• Napa Resource Conservation District

• Sonoma Resource Conservation District

• Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District

• Clear Lake Environmental Research Center

By providing financial incentives, NBFIP encourages landowners to take action—removing dead trees, thinning overgrown vegetation, and creating defensible space. CLERC is one of the founding partners of this groundbreaking collaboration going back to its inception in 2020. NBFIP is supported by CAL FIRE’s Wildfire Resilience Program.

Applications for the 2025 NBFIP grant cycle will open this summer for landowners in Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake, and Napa counties. Interested residents can learn more and apply at northbayforestimprovementprogram.com.