Wildfire County Coordinator Program
Established in 2021, the Wildfire County Coordinator Program seeks to educate, encourage, and develop countywide community collaboration and coordination among wildfire mitigation groups. The program, powered by a partnership between the California Fire Safe Council and CAL FIRE, has provided funding to 52 of California’s 58 counties to hire a Wildfire County Coordinator and establish critical local capacity to plan and implement wildfire resilience strategies on the ground.
The Wildfire County Coordinators have served as a vital local resource to secure funding, implement mitigation projects, engage vulnerable populations, and build resilience in high-risk communities. In a short period of time, Wildfire County Coordinators have become a crucial link between state strategy and local execution—ensuring California communities are better prepared, better connected, and more resilient to wildfire.
To learn more about the Wildfire County Coordinator Program, scroll below to find your County Coordinator, view the program’s impact metrics, or read through the program’s testimonials.
Wildfire County Coordinator Program Impact
This small investment in community capacity has produced substantial mitigation and resiliency benefits for the state.
As of September 2025, across 52 of 58 California counties, County Coordinators have accomplished the following:
Secured over $104M of vital funding for local mitigation and preparedness projects
Coordinated with over 10,000 organizations to increase collaboration, break down silos, and leverage resources
Educated and empowered over 970,000 participants to take action for wildfire resilience
Established more than 100 new FireWise Communities and Fire Safe Councils
Hosted over 4,100 events for community engagement, education, and to mobilize local efforts for wildfire resiliency
WILDFIRE COUNTY COORDINATOR TESTIMONIALS
The County Coordinator Grant further enhanced and supported the collaboration already occurring in the county. We’ve reduced redundancy and increased communication specifically with the Ventura County Wildfire Collaborative.
Stephen Watson
Ventura County
We have increased staffing from 0 to 4 and raised $4 million to hire more, create defensible space around 372 homes, and complete 1,500 home assessments.
Aaron Babcock
Del Norte County
Under the County Coordinator Grant Program, we’ve been able to significantly expand our youth education impact by implementing three new school programs and getting back into the classroom with students for the first time since the 2018 Camp Fire.
Lauren de Terra
Butte County
The Wildfire County Coordinators Program has allowed the wildfire mitigation stakeholders within the county to catalyze inertia as a collaborative rather than individually. Power in numbers.
Oscar Hood
Orange County
The County Coordinators Grant has allowed Nevada County to develop a robust program to create a roadmap to wildfire resiliency that recognizes rural challenges and community values. The coordinator position in Nevada County OES has acted as an organizational catalyst.
Alessandra Zambrano
Nevada County
Insights from the Wildfire County Coordinator Program
Tracking early implementation and impact through September 2025
WHAT’S NEXT
The Wildfire County Coordinator Program plans to build upon its existing infrastructure to create a long-term, sustainable mechanism for community-level implementation of California’s wildfire resilience strategy, tailored to meet local needs.
A few of the Program’s goals include:
- Operationalizing the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan at the county level while aligning with local priorities
- Supporting county planning and project prioritization
- Accelerating home hardening, defensible space implementation, and public education efforts
- Standardizing data collection to track local and statewide wildfire resilience progress
Senate Bill 973 would help advance these efforts by codifying and strengthening the Wildfire County Coordinator Program in state law. By formalizing this proven model, the bill would support long-term coordination, accountability, and implementation capacity for communities across California.
Ultimately, the Wildfire County Coordinator Program aims to improve public safety, community insurability, and wildfire preparedness throughout the state.
Find Your Wildfire County Coordinator
Webinars & Events
Wildfire County Coordinator Monthly Meeting Series
(open to County Coordinators only)
This meeting occurs on the third Tuesday of each month at 11 AM PT. For more information, contact Lara Buluc, Wildfire County Coordinator Program Manager, at: lbuluc@cafiresafecouncil.org.
Our Partners
The Wildfire County Coordinator Grant Program is made possible by:
The Wildfire County Coordinator Program is part of California Climate Investments, which uses billions of Cap-and-Invest dollars to fund projects that reduce harmful emissions, protect public health, strengthen local economies, and support natural environments. With a strong focus on communities most impacted by pollution and limited access to resources, California Climate Investments helps build a more equitable and sustainable future.
Have Questions?
To learn more about the Wildfire County Coordinator Grant Program, please contact Lara Buluc, Wildfire County Coordinator Program Manager, at lbuluc@cafiresafecouncil.org
