• Cal Fire declined over $3.8 million in wildfire prevention grants for areas affected by the Palisades fire.
• Funding decisions favored rural regions, despite significant risks in the Santa Monica Mountains.
• Experts emphasize the importance of home assessments for fire mitigation.
• Community leaders express concerns about the slow pace of funding for essential fire safety programs.

Since 2021, Cal Fire has not funded wildfire prevention efforts in communities ravaged by the Palisades fire, instead directing funds to rural areas. Records indicate that over $3.8 million in Wildfire Prevention Grants were not allocated to Santa Monica Mountain communities, such as Pacific Palisades and Malibu, despite their pressing need following the devastating fire that recently affected over 23,000 acres in the region (Los Angeles Times, SFGate).

In contrast, numerous projects in areas considered to be at lower fire risk received the full requested funding, often amounting to millions of dollars. These projects, which include inventive methods like goat grazing for brush clearance alongside informational mailers, were prioritized over those proposed in more vulnerable locales. For the last fiscal year, Cal Fire awarded about $90.8 million in grants; however, it funded only 33 prevention projects in L.A. County, which included treatments on nearly 125 acres surrounding the recent fire area.

Andrew Henning, Cal Fire’s assistant deputy director for community wildfire assistance, explained that grant applications are evaluated at various levels, emphasizing initiatives that address hazards reduce wildfire risks. Yet, several organizations seeking funding countered this perspective, arguing that granted funds would have significantly aided in preventing homes from burning (“the grants could have helped prevent homes from burning and mitigated the extent of the damage”).

In August, applications for nearly $3 million designated for seven Santa Monica Mountain communities, including Big Rock and Topanga Canyon, were denied. The funds were aimed at facilitating community partnerships for improved disaster response during major events. Brent Woodworth, chief executive of the Los Angeles Emergency Preparedness Foundation, asserted that the denial of funds hindered preemptive home ignition zone assessments that could alleviate fire risks, highlighting past successes with small-scale surveys that saved many homes during the Palisades fire.

Experts, such as Helen Poulos of Wesleyan University, stress that hardening homes against wildfires is vital for minimizing risks in urban-agriculture interfaces. Assessments provided by local organizations are critical for homeowners to follow actionable steps for fire mitigation: “Cutting funding means you have more risk to communities.”

Despite their significance, many projects in the L.A. area receive only partial funding or are delayed in processing. For instance, the Santa Monica Mountains Fire Safe Council sought over $1.6 million but only obtained half of that amount for fire prevention efforts. Pauline Allen, its executive director, noted that speedy fund allocation is crucial, lamenting the sluggish pace of reaching financial disbursements.

While Cal Fire has funded at least one project targeting areas recently affected by the Palisades fire, their overall trend indicates a propensity to prioritize rural areas over high-risk urban centers in need of immediate attention. The agency's funding for a project to distribute fire prevention resources to designated high-risk zones contrasts starkly with the careful considerations given to areas experiencing severe threats, highlighting disparities in funding focus.

In summary, Cal Fire's decisions raise essential questions about wildfire funding allocations and the critical need for preventative measures in communities most at risk, especially those within the Los Angeles area that could severely benefit from timely intervention and effective resource distribution.

For more detailed information on this situation, see the full articles from Los Angeles Times and SFGate.