Fewer fuel reduction projects could increase the risk of catastrophic wildfires, leaving residents worried about the future.
Bryan Tidwell, a Foresthill resident, said he was evacuated during the devastating Mosquito Fire, which burned more than 76,000 acres across Placer and El Dorado counties.
Tidwell and others fear that potential funding cuts to agencies like the Forest Service could mean fewer prescribed burns and fuel reduction projects. That could leave Placer County with more to burn and a greater risk of history repeating itself.
Tidwell is one of thousands of residents in Placer County working to make their communities more fire-resilient. According to Dory Cox with the Fire Safe Alliance, awareness of wildfire risks has increased significantly over the past five to 10 years.
"These grants and these efforts are important for the work that they do, and I think it's important to not disrupt that forward momentum that we have," Cox said.
District 5 Supervisor Cindy Gustafson released a statement emphasizing the importance of the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management as critical partners in reducing fire risks. "Any funding disruptions could delay essential fuel reduction projects," she said.
Gustafson added that local officials are actively working with state and federal partners to address these and other potential challenges.
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