Annual Reports

Annual Report Highlights

2024-2025 Annual Report Highlights

This year’s MCFSC Annual Report is once again filled with examples of the terrific work our staff and crews have accomplished this year. That work is centered on education and preparation – helping our community in so many ways to thrive in our wildfire-prone area.

I hope that our mild spring encouraged you to tick off some to-dos on your wildfire prep list. If you need more inspiration, take a look at our newly revamped website, and remember we’re here to help.

We want to offer our deep gratitude to retiring board member Charlie Kelly for his many years of service on our Board of Directors, as he now moves on to new adventures. Thanks and good luck, Charlie!

And thanks to all of you for your continued support of the MCFSC.

Nancy Armstrong-Frost
President, Board of Directors

Learn More About Our Programs

Fuel Reduction

We purchased a second equipment trailer for increased capacity on work projects, and a remote-controlled mower for safety and efficiency when working in difficult-to-access areas.

We treated 410 acres in our fuel-reduction projects last year, allowing safe access for both responders and evacuating residents, and creating fuel breaks to slow or stop fires. At least two fire breaks we worked on this year helped safely stop wildfires from spreading to the larger community. And we removed 62 hazard trees and helped install 6 new water tanks.

Firewise Communities and Neighborhood Fire Safe Councils

We launched a new effort to help more communities obtain “Firewise” status, and Mendocino County went from 4 longtime Firewise communities to 14 – a huge step up in fire safety, as these communities create a Risk Assessment & Action Plan, and track volunteer hours.

Our affiliated Neighborhood Fire Safe Councils (NFSCs) now number 81! We continue supporting them in many ways including grant applications, organizational assistance, Micro-Grants, resources, and more. This year, we started a new Community Work Party program where NFSCs pick a key fire-safety project, and we help organize the workday, bring snacks, and send our fuel-reduction crew and equipment to join the effort.

Grant Money

$1.7
Million

Awarded to the MCFSC in new grants for wildfire-safety implementation and community organizing

$390,945

Awarded to 4 of our NFSCs in PG&E fuel-reduction grants to support their safety projects.

$150,000

Awarded in Micro-Grants for fifteen of our affiliated Neighborhood Fire Safe Councils and five local Fire Agencies.

Podcast Series

Check out our podcast series by investigative journalist Sarah Reith. Episodes feature local stories, initiatives, and updates regarding wildfire resiliency in Mendocino County.

Take a deep dive into the stories that make up our community!

Public Engagement

Newsletter

Our monthly newsletter, with 1,677 subscribers, was opened 9,135 times last year, providing information about wildfire preparedness, smoke safety, home preparedness, fire-science updates, local events, and much more.



Transparency

We qualified again this year for Candid’s 2025 Platinum Seal of Transparency. This highest-possible rating puts us in the top 0.1% of charities nationally in terms of transparency, indicating that we have shared clear key information about our goals, strategies, capabilities, achievements and progress indicators.

Public Views

Our website had 17,396 users; our YouTube channel had 2,431 views; and our Facebook page had 2,860 visits with 76,645 views.




Website

Our online “Knowledge Center” continues to be updated and expanded, including new PSAs that can be downloaded and further shared by media, NFSCs or individuals.

Events

Our staff has been “pounding the pavement” to distribute risk-reduction information, attending over 17 events per month on average last year: 113 inter-agency meetings, 56 Neighborhood FSC meetings, tables at 37 community events and presenting at a Fire Safety Town Hall.


New Brochures

We published a new bilingual brochure describing our program services, and two new brochures related to smoke management and how to manage your own pile burns. 

Collaborations

We provided significant technical, advocacy and other support work for the Mendocino County Fire Chiefs Association.

As well as assisting the Mendocino County PBA, we helped the newly formed Round Valley Prescribed Burn Association, which hosted trainings, conducted pile burnings, and finished the year with a 55-acre burn at the Round Valley Airport.

Measure P Funds

Mendocino County voters approved a county sales tax increase to support local fire departments and some of our own work. Here are just a few of the special projects we have been able to accomplish thanks to these funds.

Our Fire Science and Wildfire Safety Education Program for middle-school students is reaching even more of the next generation! In the second year of this collaboration with the UC's Hopland Research and Extension Center (HREC), 711 middle-school students from 16 schools attended our free field trip.

Measure P sales-tax funds allowed us to provide support for a CAL FIRE training drill near Laytonville for 110 people from 10 fire agencies.

Testimonials

  • Thank you very much for your community program to help with weed-eating and fire-safe clean-up. We are very grateful to be a part of it. The crew did an excellent job here.

  • The quality and quantity of work being done along the road is truly a relief and a blessing... I've found it hard to keep up with all of the fuel-reduction work needed on my property, (and your work will make it much easier to maintain moving forward.

  • My family feels much safer and comfortable with the work that has been completed. Thanks again.... I am grateful to live in a county and a community that provides such support.

  • I want to express my gratitude for all you do to make our communities safer. I live on String Creek Rd outside of Willits. (The crew) did a fabulous job making our road safer for fire crews to get in and for us to get out!

  • Thank you for all you did to make this happen. The crew that came out to weed-eat (Dan and Freddie) were amazing. I no longer live in a "death trap"! Thank you so much.

  • I'm writing to express my gratitude for the informative mailer that you sent regarding your programs and preparing your home for wildfire. The postcard has fantastic information. Wonderful job on the design! The layout makes it easy to understand.

Staff & Crew

  • Scott Cratty, Executive Director

  • Emily Tecchio, County Coordinator

  • Eva King, Community Outreach Coordinator

  • Bobbie Delgado, Program Coordinator

  • Emily Lord, Beneficial Fire & Education Specialist

  • Mary Buckley, Administrative Editor

  • Daniel Rockey, Sr., Crew Supervisor

  • Alfredo Romero, Jr., Crew Member

  • Gabe Villa, Crew Member

  • Eric Mario Patino, Crew Member

  • Davette Hayes, Crew Member

  • Norm Brown, Project Manager

    Financial Support Services:

  • John Hansen, Accounting

  • Maureen Luis, Payroll AFSP, SRTP

New Hires

We added two new staff members: Davette Hayes increased our in-house fuel-reduction crew to five members, and last year’s GrizzlyCorps Fellow Emily Lord will become a full-time employee focusing on our educational program and supporting MCPBA in developing literature, protocols, re-treatment assessment for prescribed burns, and more.

Emily Lord

Davette Hayes

Support Our Work

If you would like to support the work of the Mendocino County Fire Safe Council, consider making a one time donation or becoming a member.

Past Annual Reports