The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region awarded $310,065 to Kern Fire Safe Council on August 21, 2025, under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Community Wildfire Defense Grants program (CFDA 10.720). The grant funds a comprehensive interagency roadside condition survey in the Greater Tehachapi area of Kern County, California, with an ultimate completion date of December 31, 2029. The primary deliverable is a detailed assessment that identifies roadside wildfire risks and hazard mitigation projects to support emergency evacuation preparedness in the region.
This project complements Kern Fire Safe Council's broader wildfire mitigation portfolio, which includes Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) development and implementation activities across the Greater Tehachapi and Mt. Pinos communities. The roadside survey will generate data-driven information on fuel hazards and evacuation route conditions, enabling regional stakeholders to prioritize defensible-space creation, fuel-reduction efforts, and infrastructure improvements in high-risk wildland-urban interface areas. The organization is delivering this work as a prime grant recipient with expertise in community-based wildfire defense and hazard mitigation planning.