A five-year fire-prevention plan was approved in Napa County earlier this month. The so-called Napa County Community Wildfire Protection Plan was presented by the County Fire Chief Geoff Belyea and the nonprofit organization Napa Communities Firewise Foundation on 6 April to the Napa County Board of Supervisors at what amounted to be a “wildfire summit.” The plan, which requests an initial $6.4 million, will require an additional $35 million of sustainable funds over the next five years.
The focus of the proactive plan is on the need for approximately 115 new fuel breaks, the management of existing fuel breaks, and fuel reduction/vegetation clearing near both rural and urban communities. According to media reports, Chief Belyea said the measures would aid in case of future evacuations and allow for roadways to be more effectively used to stop and prevent fires.
Wine producers and farmers in the area seem to support the plan. It is also reported that the Napa Valley Vintners (NVV), the trade organization that represents most of the local wineries, fully supports the plan.
Background information for the five-year plan can be found here: https://ncff-cwpp-dms-usa.hub.arcgis.com/datasets/177b4d28ea304594b4120edcb60d2e2f. kw
