Sacramento – May 9, 2019
California Fire Safe Council (CFSC) is pleased to announce the award of $500,000 from Edison International, parent company of Southern California Edison (SCE). The funds are being provided to help advance wildfire safety throughout Edison’s service area.
“We’re excited to be launching a new Fire Safe Council capacity-building program thanks to Edison’s generous and timely donation. Edison’s Wildfire Assistance Fund will help us to start new Fire Safe Councils, translate and distribute home hardening and defensible space materials in Spanish, and fund another $130,000 in Fire Safe Community Grants,” stated CFSC Executive Director Tracy Katelman.
“Edison’s number one priority continues to be the safety of our employees, customers, and communities; we recognize that areas at risk for wildfire are expanding across the state” said Caroline Choi, Edison International and Southern California Edison senior vice president of Corporate Affairs. “We remain committed to supporting our forward-thinking nonprofit partners, including the California Fire Safe Council, to focus on resiliency projects that target risk reduction and preparedness in our underserved communities.”
CFSC and Edison have a long-standing relationship, which includes a grant in 2018 that supports 13 Fire Safe Community grants to communities in SCE’s service area.
“CFSC has been thrilled to work with Edison International in the past year to provide $200,000 in small grants for community fire prevention and preparedness projects,” said Amber Gardner, CFSC Clearinghouse Manager. “We have been excited to launch this new corporate funding model and hope to replicate it with other California-based companies.”
The just-announced projects will help Southern California communities respond to the growing concern over catastrophic wildfire while exemplifying efforts to create fire-adapted communities.
The 13 Fire Safe Community projects funded this summer by Edison’s grant are:
Bell Canyon Association Inc
Project Name: Establish a Bell Canyon Fire Safe Council, conduct community training and take next steps.
Awarded Amount: $25,000
Big Bear Fire Authority
Project Name: Chip For Big Bear
Awarded Amount: $25,000
City of Corona Fire Department
Project Name: Community Outreach/Preparedness
Awarded Amount: $5,040
City of Monterey Park Fire Department
Project Name: Monterey Park Brush Clearance Campaign
Awarded Amount: $10,000
Concerned Resource & Environmental Workers
Project Name: Ojai Valley Fire Prevention & Preparedness Equipment
Awarded Amount: $3,622.31
Greater Laguna Coast Fire Safe Council
Project Name: Laguna Beach Neighborhood-Specific Emergency Evacuation Routes and Disaster Preparedness Guidelines
Awarded Amount: $14,000
Irvine Ranch Conservancy
Project Name: Irvine Ranch Conservancy’s Orange County Fire Watch
Awarded Amount: $25,000
North Topanga Fire Safe Council
Project Name: Home Ignition Zone Training Workshops
Awarded Amount: $24,080
San Bernardino County Fire Protection District
Project Name: Fuel Hazard Reduction Equipment
Awarded Amount: 10,000
Three Rivers Fire Safe Council
Project Name: Awareness Through Education for the Community of Three Rivers
Awarded Amount: $5,010
Three Rivers Lions Club
Project Name: Wood Chipper for Community Chipping Days
Awarded Amount: $22,400
Ventura County Resource Conservation District
Project Name: “Living with Fire” Outreach Initiative
Awarded Amount: $24,870
Wrightwood Fire Safe Council
Project Name: Wrightwood Wildfire Awareness 2019
Awarded Amount: $5,071
The California Fire Safe Council has been mobilizing Californians to protect their homes, communities and environments from wildfires for over 25 years. Along with our 15 years of successful grant-making, we have a deep history of providing capacity building and technical assistance for local Fire Safe Councils, and in facilitating cross-sectoral investments in wildfire resilience.
