With recent fires in Southern California and red flag warnings, the City Council on Tuesday approved $850,000 in funding as part of the mid-year budget review for fire mitigation and preparedness efforts for the current fiscal year. Three departments will be undertaking these efforts: Fire, Environmental Sustainability and Parks & Recreation. Here’s the breakdown of how the funding will be used:

• $300,000 for the Fire Department to contract with an environmental planning firm to create implementable fire protection plans, hazard reduction plans and fuel management plans that will help prevent wildfire damage by accounting for Carlsbad’s unique topography, vegetation and climate issues.
• $250,000 for the Environmental Sustainability Department to assist with immediate brush management in the city’s preserves. The work must be performed by a qualified contractor with experience working in habitat areas on privately owned properties to avoid impacts to sensitive species and habitats.
•  $300,000 for the Parks & Recreation Department to assist with immediate brush management efforts in city-owned urban forests (this includes Hosp Grove, Woodbine Banks, Batiquitos Lane, Village H and other areas). This would involve:
  • Maintenance pruning of the canopies of inventoried trees within high public occupancy, such as those immediately adjacent to homes and major roadways
  • Selective removal of non-inventoried trees in the interior of the urban forests that are dying or significantly declining
  • Weed abatement throughout the urban forests to reduce ground level vegetation