California released a report showing significant progress in reducing wildfire risk and carbon pollution, detailing how over five years the state trained hundreds of firefighting personnel, prepared thousands of acres to resist wildfire, and prevented millions of metric tons of carbon from entering the atmosphere.
Using funding from SB 901, California awarded more than 660 grants and 316 fuel reduction projects, treating hundreds of thousands of acres. Forest Health Grants funded during the five-year period are projected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 11.1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent over their lifetimes.
The state treated more than 233,000 acres and reforested severely burned areas, reducing the likelihood of high-severity wildfire across nearly 150,000 acres. More than 60% of the treatments will benefit areas with high biodiversity value. Over 400 planning, fuel reduction, and public education projects in 51 counties aided in fire suppression or reduced fire behavior.
More than 900 forest and wildland fire professionals received training through grants that expanded forestry and wood products infrastructure and community college programs.
California Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot said the results demonstrate sustained investment in wildfire resilience. "Even as we make progress, hotter, drier conditions make California more vulnerable to severe wildfire — so we have to keep investing, keep scaling what works to reduce wildfire risk and better protect people and the places they call home."
During the 2024 Park Fire, grant-funded forest health treatments near Cohasset reduced fire intensity where the forest had been thinned, giving firefighters time to protect homes and residents time to evacuate. Along Highway 44 in Shasta County, more than 1,000 acres were treated through a partnership between CAL FIRE and California Military Department crews. When a fire started in the treated area in 2024, limited available fuel kept it to just 10 by 10 feet.
California also invested in the California Conservation Corps, which enrolled young adults for a year of service providing job skills and work experience for wildland firefighting, forestry, and fuels management careers. Through 2024, the CCC used the funding for more than 100 projects, half of which included training.