Washington, D.C.--Today, Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) released the following statement celebrating $75 million in funding for shaded fuel breaks in U.S. Forest Service Region 5:
"I'm grateful to President Trump and Secretary Rollins for making $75 million in funding available for shaded fuel break projects in the west. Of that, $70 million will be directed to California, helping fund crucial wildfire prevention efforts. This funding, allocated by disaster relief legislation at the end of last year, comes at a critical time as California faces another devastating fire season,” said Rep. LaMalfa. “With over 1 million acres burned last year alone, shaded fuel breaks are a vital tool in protecting our towns, forests, and firefighters. We have seen the effectiveness of these measures firsthand during the Park Fire, and I look forward to seeing their implementation across Northern California.”
“This public-private partnership represents a major step forward in wildfire prevention, creating an interconnected network of fuel breaks that will slow fire progression, improve firefighter safety, and better protect communities, watersheds, and critical infrastructure,” said Sierra Pacific Industries CEO Mark Emmerson. “We are grateful to Secretary Rollins, USFS Chief Moore, and the Administration for their leadership in this effort. By strategically linking fuel breaks across both public and private lands, we can maximize their effectiveness in reducing wildfire risk. This partnership to expand the fuel break network demonstrates our shared commitment to protecting the people of California from catastrophic wildfires.”
Shaded fuel breaks are strategically managed strips of land where vegetation is thinned, lower branches are removed, and ground fuels are reduced to slow the spread of wildfires and provide safer conditions for firefighters. Unlike clear-cutting, these fuel breaks maintain tree canopy cover while reducing the amount of flammable material on the forest floor, making them an effective tool in wildfire prevention and containment.
The $70 million allocated to California will fund shaded fuel break projects throughout Northern California, reinforcing fire defenses in some of the most at-risk areas. These projects will help protect towns, forests, and critical infrastructure from fast-moving wildfires, ensuring firefighters have the tools they need to defend against future blazes.
Congressman Doug LaMalfa is Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus and a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba Counties.
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"I'm grateful to President Trump and Secretary Rollins for making $75 million in funding available for shaded fuel break projects in the west. Of that, $70 million will be directed to California, helping fund crucial wildfire prevention efforts. This funding, allocated by disaster relief legislation at the end of last year, comes at a critical time as California faces another devastating fire season,” said Rep. LaMalfa. “With over 1 million acres burned last year alone, shaded fuel breaks are a vital tool in protecting our towns, forests, and firefighters. We have seen the effectiveness of these measures firsthand during the Park Fire, and I look forward to seeing their implementation across Northern California.”
“This public-private partnership represents a major step forward in wildfire prevention, creating an interconnected network of fuel breaks that will slow fire progression, improve firefighter safety, and better protect communities, watersheds, and critical infrastructure,” said Sierra Pacific Industries CEO Mark Emmerson. “We are grateful to Secretary Rollins, USFS Chief Moore, and the Administration for their leadership in this effort. By strategically linking fuel breaks across both public and private lands, we can maximize their effectiveness in reducing wildfire risk. This partnership to expand the fuel break network demonstrates our shared commitment to protecting the people of California from catastrophic wildfires.”
Shaded fuel breaks are strategically managed strips of land where vegetation is thinned, lower branches are removed, and ground fuels are reduced to slow the spread of wildfires and provide safer conditions for firefighters. Unlike clear-cutting, these fuel breaks maintain tree canopy cover while reducing the amount of flammable material on the forest floor, making them an effective tool in wildfire prevention and containment.
The $70 million allocated to California will fund shaded fuel break projects throughout Northern California, reinforcing fire defenses in some of the most at-risk areas. These projects will help protect towns, forests, and critical infrastructure from fast-moving wildfires, ensuring firefighters have the tools they need to defend against future blazes.
Congressman Doug LaMalfa is Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus and a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba Counties.
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