California Governor Starts "Make America Rake Again" Campaign To Increase Wildfire Prevention Efforts.
Today, Governor Newsom of California launched his “Make America Rake Again” campaign effort to increase forest management across the state. Cal Fire representatives emphasized that forest management is not solely about fuel reduction, but rather about proactive firefighting that needs to be accomplished.
It’s not lost on me that this new slogan contradicts the long-standing media and political efforts to mock forest raking for wildfire prevention. Wildfire crews literally carry rakes everywhere they go.
But it is what it is…
For the first time ever, Cal Fire announced that it has met its prescribed fire goals through the month of May and also noted its fuel reduction goals were met as well. They are now treating 700,000 acres a year, along with their federal partners, and in 2023, set a record of 730,000 acres of treated landscape.
So far, there have been 3,200 wildfires in California, with 95% of those being human-caused. The stated goal of the representatives was to keep all these fires small and respond to them quickly with a rapid initial attack. They pressed on, stating that fuel projects and Rx burns will be a priority going forward, with increased funding, grants, and reduced regulations to complete the projects.
Since 2020, $2.5 billion has been invested in Rx and fuel reduction projects in California, although many argue that a significant portion of this money has not been utilized appropriately or efficiently. Cal Fire representatives also announced that $135 million in new grants will be available to nonprofits, NGOs, local organizations, tribes, and others to help achieve their community fire prevention goals.
All very significant sums of money.
Governor Newsom stated that the regulatory reviews of these projects will now be streamlined, and the lengthy process to obtain approval will be expedited. “The hurdles are being removed.” He went on to criticize the federal efforts and funding, saying that 57% of California is federal land while 3% is managed by the state.
The Governor was adamant that the federal government needs to pay its personnel better and increase funding for prevention, while further noting that the exodus of firefighters from the federal government has been welcomed by him and Cal Fire, as many have been added to the state’s ranks.
A fairly cheeky comment.
They plan to hire an additional 2,000 employees for Cal Fire in the coming years, have added 16 helicopters to their fleet, and have acquired many new tankers. They are also committed to integrating more AI wildfire technology and forest cameras into their system.
It was a very good and excellent press conference until it ultimately turned into a political campaign speech, but that was to be expected.
There is irony in this new slogan from the Governor, as he has repeatedly stated in public that raking the forest is a joke and a bad idea for wildfire prevention. This clip is from 2020.
But all politics aside, as they should be in wildfire, this is a step in the right direction for Californians who have been asking their state government to increase prescribed burning and fuel reduction work for decades. They have been throwing money at the problem for a while, and now more money is being allocated; however, if a reduction in red tape is actually achieved, a significant change may be coming soon.
Reaching your stated prescribed fire and fuel reduction goals is actually a massive milestone after years of falling short.
I leave you with this… this is an image of the San Bernardino Valley in the 1930s. All the ridgelines have dozer lines and fuel breaks on them, which were used at the time as fire control lines.
This is the same area pictured today.
None of them have been maintained. Maybe we will see this kind of fuel reduction and firewise preparation going forward with this new “Make America Rake Again” campaign from Governor Newsom of California.
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I like what’s happening, but the messaging is going to continue to piss off the people who need to mitigate their properties the most… Le sigh.
I have concerns.
I stopped the county fire agency (a very well funded and equipped agency) which is responsible for accessibility along the asphalt/dirt road in our forest from dozing a huge section along the edges of the forest road in the middle of nesting season. Remember, this is riparian habitat with chaparral at the riparian edge.
This road follows the streambed/riparian habitat for three miles then diverts away from the road. Had a talk with the wildland manager. He agreed to put off the clearing. I was monitoring 40 nests within feet of the road. If they do this in late Sept here, no problem. February (our natives nest early) - Sept, is a problem. But I would have lost 90% of the nests if I had not been there to intervene.
Furthermore, in the past years they have not chipped the removed vegetation and have tossed it in the creek (a super bad idea) and down the slopes; the latter just increases the fuel load making the dozing rather pointless.
As well, because we are a no-wood burn forest, I have asked them to leave downed trees whole BECAUSE if they don't, people pick up the chunks for illegal campfires in the forest. As well, if people remove the dead chunks, they spread golden spotted oak borer which got here from S. Arizona. Our oaks are not immune and GSOBs are killing the coast live oak here making matters worse. It's a huge problem not being addressed in the forest at all.
There doesn't seem to be any awareness/consideration/coordination of any of this information let alone any mitigating actions and I find it extremely concerning. Often the crews are from urban areas.
At the end of this three miles of paved road running alongside the riparian area, they can grade whenever they want (they have 30 miles or so to play with on this side of the mountain) because, with one important exception (the existing southern-most stand of the knobcone pine globally), sensitive areas are not along the road.
It just isn't okay to harm riparian areas if it isn't an absolute emergency IMHO. And it makes no sense to me to increase management when the current management is bad.