Tag Archive for: wildfire prevention

County Looking to Buy Second Helicopter for Night Missions as It Takes Hard Look at Fire Response

/in , /by /San Diego Union-Tribuneby Teri Figueroa Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority
Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

San Diego County wants to buy a second firefighting helicopter equipped for making water drops at night. It has nearly $4 million in hand but needs to find $14 million to pay for it. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted a unanimous 4-0 to pursue funding for the new helicopter, as well as buying four water tenders, which cost nearly $1 million each, and another $750,000 per tender a year to cover staffing costs. Finding money for the big-ticket items will be considered for the budget for the next fiscal year, which starts July 1.

Full Story

Opinion: County Must Improve Wildfire Prep to Avoid Catastrophe

/in , /by /San Diego Union-Tribuneby Jim Desmond Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority
Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

It only takes one spark. A downed power line, a stray ember carried by the wind or a sudden shift in the weather can turn a quiet afternoon into a disaster. We’ve seen it before. The wildfires of 2003 and 2007 devastated San Diego County, destroying thousands of homes, displacing families and leaving a lasting mark on our region. These fires weren’t just tragedies — they were hard lessons. And if there’s one thing we’ve learned, we can never afford to be complacent.

Full Story

California Gets Money for Wildfire, Drought as Congress Temporarily Funds Government Again

/in , , /by /Sacramento Beeby Gillian Brassil

Congress passed a government funding bill in a down-to-the-wire vote on Thursday in the face of a looming shutdown. The continuing resolution bill, a short-term spending resolution that will keep the government funded through early December, delegates $28.6 billion to disaster relief efforts, including for wildfire prevention and response and the consequences of drought.

Full Story

California OKs New Spending on Drought, Wildfire Prevention

/in , , /by /Associated Pressby Adam Beam

California lawmakers on Thursday voted to spend more than $2 billion to prevent wildfires and address a severe drought, closing the book — for now — on a $262.5 billion operating budget that began the year with a record deficit because of the pandemic and ended with a record surplus in spite of it.

Full Story