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In partnership with the Community Foundation for San Benito County, the San Benito Fire Safe Council has been awarded a $293,000 grant as the local organization joins the statewide Wildfire County Coordinator Program.
The council will use the funds to transition from being 100% volunteer-run to hiring its first full-time county coordinator.
The grant was awarded to the county soon after its recent reclassification of “high-risk” zones, including Aromas and San Juan Canyon.
According to Beth Roybal, a member of the council, the mixture of dense forests, heavy brush and highly flammable eucalyptus trees are just “waiting to torch.”
Fellow council member Richard Mazzarella said the organization was able to win the award by continually monitoring statewide funding opportunities. He noted that the grant differs from project-specific grants. Instead, it’s a general capacity-building grant.
The council’s county coordinator will update, maintain, and do outreach for the Community Wildfire Protection Plan, which helps residents maintain awareness of local fire risks and mitigation goals.
The coordinator will also develop strategies for achieving risk-reduction goals, expand Firewise USA communities and spearhead the writing of future grant proposals.
According to Mazzarella, the San Benito Fire Safe Council hopes the county coordinator will promote programs and changes that residents will notice and be involved in. These would include free wood-chipping services, ongoing fuel reductions, extended outreach, and training on how to keep one’s property wildfire ready and safe.
Anyone interested in the county coordinator position can submit an application at www.sbfsc.org.
The BenitoLink Internship Program is a paid, skill-building program that prepares local youth for a professional career. This program is supported by Monterey Peninsula Foundation AT&T Golf Tour and Taylor Farms.
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