Cooperative Agreement Summary

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) awarded a Cooperative Agreement totaling $200,036.51 to Tulare County Resource Conservation District under the BLM Fuels Management and Community Fire Assistance Program Activities (CFDA 15.228) effective April 1, 2026, through December 31, 2030. The awardee will implement fuel reduction and wildfire risk mitigation activities in Tulare County and surrounding communities through standard techniques including construction of shaded fuel breaks, vegetation removal, prescribed burns, and fire line establishment. These activities are designed to strategically reduce vegetation and fuel loads in high-risk fire areas.

The primary deliverables focus on improving emergency response infrastructure and community resilience. The project will enhance access points for firefighters and first responders in designated high-risk fire zones throughout Tulare County, enabling more effective emergency response during wildfire events. The intended beneficiaries include county residents and both private and federal landowners, with outcomes supporting land preservation and fire risk mitigation for recreational and sustainability purposes. Work will be performed in Visalia, California, with project activities aligned with the BLM's broader strategy of creating fire-adapted communities and landscapes across western United States regions through vegetation management and hazardous fuel reduction initiatives.