Photo provided by UCCE.
Photo provided by UCCE.

This article was written by BenitoLink intern Juliana Luna

 

In January, Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties will receive a second Cal Fire grant to expand operations of the Central Coast Prescribed Burn Association (PBA). According to a news release, the grant is for $705,000 and ends in March 2024. By 2023, the proposal to apply for the third Cal Fire grant will commence.

The funds will be used to conduct four prescribed burns. Monterey will have two burns, while Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties will have one. One burn is now underway in Watsonville, said California Certified Range Manager Devii Rao of the UC Agriculture and Resources Cooperative Extension.

A burn in Carmel Valley will follow. 

There are plans to conduct the third burn at a ranch in southern San Benito County during the fall, Rao told BenitoLink. 

The PBA plans to use the new funds to purchase more Nomex apparel, a 500-gallon water trailer, personal protective equipment, and increase their prescribed burn coordinator’s work hours from 16 hours a week to full-time. 

The program will also fund an apprenticeship program for local Indigenous tribe members to become California Certified Burn Bosses—individuals who are certified to burn piles legally and safely. 

There will also be a continuation of prescribed burn training, known as Training Exchange.

According to Rao, “Anyone is welcome to train if they have attended FireLighter Training.” 

Workshops on home hardening and defensible space will be offered to the public, where people can learn many fire safety skills. The workshops don’t involve actual fire.  

Rao said the PBA is also now translating their materials into Spanish and reaching out to Spanish-only speakers.

 

 

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