Perform fuel load reduction activities to reduce fire risks in butte county and the surrounding areas

The Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management California Region awarded a Cooperative Agreement totaling $150,000 to Butte County Fire Safe Council on January 30, 2026, under the BLM Fuels Management and Community Fire Assistance Program (CFDA 15.228).

The recipient will perform landscape fuel load reduction activities across 323.9 acres in Butte County and surrounding areas, targeting a 70 percent reduction in measurable fuel loads. Work includes hand piling, mastication, vegetation thinning, and herbicide application. The award also funds fire adaptation, education, preparedness, and outreach programs through material distribution and updates to current fire plans, with an estimated reach of 500 residents in the community outreach effort.

Performance occurs in Paradise, California, with a period of performance extending from January 30, 2026 through December 30, 2029. Intended beneficiaries include Butte County residents and surrounding wildland urban interface communities affected by previous fires, regional recreation users, downstream communities, and private landowners who benefit from reduced fire behavior and suppression costs.

Purpose

The purpose of this award is to perform fuel load reduction activities to reduce fire risks in butte county and the surrounding areas.

Activities

Activities to be performed are landscape fuel load reduction techniques by use of standard practices such as hand piling, mastication and vegetation thinning. Herbicides will also be applied to reduce fuel loads. Fire adaptation, education, preparedness, and outreach programs will also be promoted through material distribution and updates to current fire plans. Expected deliverables outcomes: expected deliverables and outcomes are completion of 323.9 acres of completed fuels treatments with measurable fuel loads reduction with a target of 70% reduction. Estimated reach to 500 residents for community outreach program distribution and fire prevention efforts.

Intended beneficiaries

Intended beneficiaries include the residents of butte county and the surrounding wildland urban interface communities who have already experience significant loss from previous fires. Beneficiaries also include regional recreation users, downstream communities, and private landowners who benefit from reduced fire behavior and suppression costs.