Press release from the Wildfire Solutions Coalition
A coalition of organizations announced today the formation of the Wildfire Solutions Coalition, a groundbreaking alliance of cross-sector leaders and organizations throughout the state to secure long-term, sustained funding for wildfire mitigation and resilience and to fully implement California’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan.
The growing coalition of more than two dozen organizations representing every corner of the state, from the redwood forests of the North Coast to the chaparral-covered hills of Southern California, reflects a shared understanding: wildfire is not a regional issue. It’s a statewide crisis that demands a unified, long-term solution.
Preliminary coalition members include:
- Association of California Water Agencies
- Bay Area Council
- California Association of Resource Conservation Districts
- California Council of Land Trusts
- California Fire Chiefs Association
- California Forward
- California Native Plant Society
- Inland Empire Community Foundation
- Irvine Ranch Conservancy
- Irvine Ranch Water District
- Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation
- Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority
- Monterey County COAD Manager
- Mountain Counties Water Resources Association
- Northern Sierra Partnership
- Santa Clara County Fire Safe Council
- Save the Redwoods League
- Sierra Business Council
- Tahoe City Public Utility District
- The Nature Conservancy
- Utica Water and Power Authority
For decades, California has invested heavily in firefighting, and underinvested in the prevention of megafires. The Wildfire Solutions Coalition is changing that. Compared with the costs of catastrophic wildfire, investments to reduce wildfire risk are extremely cost effective. Wildfires cost the state $117 billion dollars every year in economic losses.
In contrast, investments to avoid wildfire disaster can save $6 for every $1 invested. This unprecedented coalition is focused on proactive, science-based solutions that protect communities, landscapes, and the wildland-urban interface from the increasing threat of catastrophic wildfires.
Wildfires are a natural part of many California landscapes. But due to several factors including fire suppression, land management practices, and climate change, the intensity and frequency of wildfires have reached dangerous levels. With better preparation and management, landscapes and communities can once again experience fire as a natural and beneficial process.
The Wildfire Solutions Coalition is calling for a dedicated, long-term funding mechanism to support proven fire prevention strategies at scale, including:
- Forest and vegetation management
- Community hardening and defensible space
- Workforce development and good, green jobs
- Tribal-led cultural burning and stewardship
- Science-based planning and monitoring
“ACWA is excited to be a part of this diverse coalition to help build the public and political support needed to increase public investment in wildfire resilience,” said Kylie Wright, an Advocate for the Association of California Water Agencies. “Climate-driven wildfires have devastating impacts on watersheds, water supply reliability, and water quality and require a collaborative response from local, state and federal interests.”
“As land trusts throughout the state invest in permanently protecting and stewarding millions of acres of land, supporting wildfire resilience at scale will protect these investments in the face of increasing drought, and other extreme weather events,” said Caroline Godkin, Executive Director of the California Council of Land Trusts. “Protecting these lands will safeguard biodiversity, wildlife corridors while supporting water and air quality as well as providing opportunities for public access to open spaces.”
“Preventing destructive wildfires isn’t optional—it’s an urgent necessity that demands unprecedented collaboration and sustained investment,” said Jeff Meston, Executive Director of the California Fire Chiefs Association. “From federal and state agencies to local governments, nonprofits, and private industry, every sector must work together to develop and fund forward-thinking strategies. Only through this kind of unified, all-hands-on-deck approach can we protect our communities, safeguard public health, and build a more resilient future.”
“We’re proud to be part of this broad coalition to provide solutions to the wildfire crisis. The Governor’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan is a critical first step,” said Liz Pardi, Director of External Affairs and Policy, The Nature Conservancy. “Now we need to work toward ensuring there is sufficient long-term funding to meet its goals and break the cycle of megafires impacting every Californians’ lives.”
“Fire has always been part of California’s landscapes, but the scale and intensity of today’s wildfires present a material financial risk to our communities,” said Nuin-Tara Key, Executive Director of Programs at California Forward. “Investing in resilience is not just about avoiding disaster; it’s a fiscally responsible strategy to reduce long-term costs, protect critical infrastructure, and support community resilience. Without upfront investments that reduce risk, we’ll continue to spend exponentially more on disaster response and recovery than on the solutions that build long-term resilience. ”
“Wildfires cause hundreds of billions of dollars in economic losses for Californians. Without a committed investment and coordinated system that works to prevent future catastrophic losses, the economic harm caused by fires – from disrupted business, lost tax revenue, destroyed infrastructure, and fiscal instability – will become unsustainable,” said Matt Horton with the Los Angeles Economic Development Corp.
“Right-sizing California’s forest management sector is critical to reducing wildfires that have in recent years cost hundreds of lives, caused billions of dollars in damages, counteract GHG reduction progress, and devastated California’s insurance market,” said Adrian Covert, Senior Vice President of Public Policy for the Bay Area Council. “To effect this change, the Bay Area Council is joining the Wildfire Solutions Coalition and supporting at least 10% of California’s future Cap-and-Invest revenues being dedicated to regionally appropriate wildfire resilience and mitigation actions.”
The coalition invites all Californians to learn more and get involved:
- Visit the new website: https://wildfiresolutionsca.org
- Explore action tools: https://wildfiresolutionsca.org/action
About the Wildfire Solutions Coalition: The Wildfire Solutions Coalition is a statewide alliance committed to securing long-term funding for wildfire mitigation and resilience. We believe California must invest in proactive solutions that protect lives, homes, ecosystems, and the economy — before the next fire starts. The goal of the Coalition is to secure the resources necessary—in the private sector and across local, state, and federal levels— to achieve California’s wildfire resilience goals and dramatically reduce the impacts of catastrophic wildfire across the state.
