Grant dollars we put into Mendocino County’s economy last year:
$3,717,273
Awarded to the MCFSC in new grants for wildfire-safety implementation and community organizing. These are mostly multiple-year grants that will bring funds into the county for the next few years.
$2,736,616
Using income from current and prior year grants, we put money into the pockets of local contractors to accomplish fuel-reduction fire-safety work.
$122,500
Awarded in Micro-Grants for 15 high-priority community wildfire safety projects across the county to Neighborhood Fire Safe Councils, Firewise Communities, and local fire agencies.
Almost all of these funds came from outside Mendocino County – and almost all of them were spent within the county and paid to local staff, contractors and other businesses.
Above: Fuel breaks really do stop wildfires!
Firewise Communities and Neighborhood Fire Safe Councils
We have been helping more communities obtain “Firewise” status, and Mendocino County went from 4 longtime Firewise communities in 2019 to 23 at the end of this fiscal year (see below for the trajectory) – a huge step up in fire safety, as these communities create a Risk Assessment and Action Plan, and track volunteer hours. In 2025, Mendocino County Firewise Communities logged a total of $3,481,793.60 in wildfire preparedness volunteer hours and investment!
Our affiliated Neighborhood Fire Safe Councils now number 90! We continue supporting them in many ways including grant applications, organizational assistance, Micro-Grants, resources, and more.
Learn More About Our Programs
Fire Science and Wildfire Safety Education Program
In the Spring of 2026, 734 middle-school students from 9 schools across the county participated in our Education Program, which included multiple in-class lessons plus a field trip to the UC Hopland Research and Extension Center, our program partner.
They learned about fire ecology and physics, California fire history, prescribed burning, native plant adaptations to fire, low-cost home-hardening strategies, and emergency preparedness.
We continue to push our curriculum to be child-led, and (new this year) we partnered with Jug Handle Creek Farm and Nature Center to create a place-based field-trip model customized for coastal students.
See and hear our Fire Science Program blogpost/podcast and watch a brief Fire Science Education Program video.
Measure P Funds
Voters approved a small portion of county sales tax to be used for fire safety, and a portion of that supports our work as well as local fire districts.
Through the end of FY 2025–26, MCFSC has used roughly half of the Measure P funds it has received, and is holding the other half in strategic reserves, which is critical to our success for a number of reasons: it allows us to attract and implement larger grants, many of which require the grantee to provide matching funds, or to pay initial grant costs before reimbursement; reserves are also necessary to provide continuity to retain our longtime, highly trained staff between grants; it also enables us to perform important work that is NOT grant-funded, such as attending community events and bringing new programs to the community, such as our new Evacuation Games.
Of the Measure P funds that have been spent, about 28% have funded Micro-Grant projects to improve wildfire safety throughout the county; 20% have supported our middle-school Fire Science and Wildfire Safety Education Program; 21% funded fuel-reduction work that did not have grant support; 16% kept our staff employed between grants; and the remainder supported a range of programs and projects such as our free Home Assessments, Dense Housing Safety Project, Evacuation Games, providing stewardship education for our crews, and new grant development.
Thank you, Mendocino County voters!
Measure P Funds at work – $122,500 in Micro-Grants Awarded in 2026!
Our Micro-Grants Program took our total funds awarded over the half-million-dollar mark last year!
Micro-Grant Awards are just one of the special projects we have been able to fund thanks to Measure P sales tax funding for fire safety and prevention.
In the last five years, we have funded 47 NFSC/Firewise Community projects and 30 fire agency projects, totaling $556,500 in Micro-Grants awarded to Neighborhood Fire Safe Councils, Firewise Communities, and local fire agencies for their priority projects.
These projects included clearing key access roads, installing water storage and delivery systems, lock boxes for firefighter access, reflective road and address signs, communication systems, and much more. Most leveraged local in-kind contributions such as volunteer labor and donated materials, multiplying the impacts of each award.
Our 2026 Micro-Grants, totaling $122,500, will support seven fire agencies, six Neighborhood Fire Safe Councils, and one Firewise Community as they accomplish critical, community-driven safety projects. Check out our 2025 Micro-Grant StoryMap too!
Our 2026 Micro-Grants were also supported by a generous $40,000 contribution from the Mendocino County Fire Chiefs Association.
Bob Barsotti shows off Black Oak Ranch Fire Safe Council’s new draft hydrant, funded by one of our 2025 Micro-Grants.
Another Micro-Grant allowed String Creek and Tartar Canyon FSC to create a temporary refuge area complete with a shed full of emergency supplies.
The Point Arena Fire Safe Council was awarded a 2025 Micro-Grant for a senior outreach event, plus funding to expand their GMRS local radio system and train people how to use the radios in emergencies.
Eva King leads a game in Hopland.
Comments on an Evacuation Game Night in Round Valley:
“It's so great to be surrounded by neighbors and talking about these topics. I learned I have a lot more to consider about wildfire preparedness than I originally thought."
“I didn't realize how helpful it is to see your home and your neighbors’ homes laid out on a map in front of you. It really puts wildfire pathways and preparedness into perspective."
"This game made me realize how much my actions affect my neighbors, and not just myself."
Measure P Funds at work – the Evacuation Game
Another Measure P-funded project is our new Evacuation Game. It was developed at UC Davis, and we are customizing it for Mendocino County locations.
Players practice evacuating during a simulated wildfire, on a game board made from local maps to give them a realistic sense of what could happen in an actual event. Points are given for real-life preparedness such as packed go-bags or neighbor connections, and “chance” cards simulated unexpected events such as shifting winds or blocked roads.
At a recent Evacuation Game Night, local challenges were thought through and discussed, much was learned, a good time was had by all – and no one got hurt!
A sample game board (Feliz Creek)
Measure P funds at work – Dense-Housing Safety Project
We’ve long been concerned about the lack of resources and education for wildfire resilience in dense-housing situations such as mobile-home parks (MHPs), which are uniquely vulnerable to wildfire. They make up 3.6% of California housing, but a highly disproportionate 22% of homes lost to wildfire.
About half are also in high to extreme fire-severity zones and/or composed of very low-income households. Worse yet, high density increases fire spread; current recommendations are not geared to dense housing; and MHP residents often have little control over their exterior landscaping.
Last year, we began using some of our Measure P funds to focus on dense-housing communities. We recently received a grant from the North Coast Resource Partnership that will help support our effort to develop resources specifically for their situations.
We piloted this effort with the Little Lake Mobile Home Park, adjacent to a densely forested area north of Willits, where we hosted an informational meeting, conducted a survey, provided refreshments, encouraged neighborhood connections, and assisted with their Community Work Party.
Read our Little Lake MHP blogpost.
Fuel Reduction
At least two fire breaks that we worked on last year helped safely stop wildfires from spreading to the larger community.
On Bell Springs Road, a parked RV caught fire next to where we had recently cleared overgrown roadside brush. Without that work, the fire would have spread unchecked into dry brushy woods.
On Pine Mountain, a fuel break stopped the Ridge Fire in its tracks.
We treated 539 acres in our fuel-reduction projects last year, allowing safer access for both responders and evacuating residents, and creating fuel breaks to slow or stop fires.
We also supported prescribed burns totaling 21 acres, removed 242 hazard trees and distributed 190 new water tanks (in addition to Micro-Grant-funded water-storage project support).
Community Work Parties
Our Community Work Party Program helps Neighborhood Fire Safe Councils accomplish their key priority projects.
Funded by the Prop 4 Climate Bond through the State Coastal Commission, this program allows us to provide organizational assistance, refreshments, and our own fuels crew and equipment to leverage local volunteer investments into communities that are safer from wildfire damage.
Last year we supported eight Community Work Parties throughout Mendocino County.
Tan Oak Park, Laytonville
Coyote Valley Rancheria, Redwood Valley (2)
Southern Willits
Tomki, Redwood Valley
Hopland Band of Pomo Indians, Hopland
Little Lake Mobile Home Park, Willits
Redwood Valley Rancheria, Redwood Valley
Collaborations
MCFSC has an ongoing collaborative relationship with the Mendocino County Fire Chiefs Association, housing their Representative, and providing them with significant technical, advocacy, and other support.
MCFSC also maintains a key partnership with the Mendocino County Prescribed Burn Association, to help increase the pace and scale of private prescribed burns. We provide staff to manage PBA planning and coordination.
This year, our staff supported a full summer-long prescribed burn workshop for Greenfield Ranch residents, a steering committee meet-and-greet event in Anderson Valley, a cross-boundary Firelighter training in collaboration with the Humboldt County PBA, and many trainings and burns in neighboring counties.
Other key MCFSC collaborations throughout the year:
• sponsoring UC and CAL FIRE specialists to give a training on Sudden Oak Death;
• bringing United Policyholders and UC presenters to a free public Wildfire and Insurance Forum in Willits;
• assisting LAFCO (the Local Agency Formation Commission) in creating a regional overview of fire services in Mendocino County;
• hiring XyloPlan modeling of urban fire-spread weaknesses in the Ukiah Valley, in collaboration with Ukiah Valley Fire Authority and the City of Ukiah;
• a complex collaboration to tackle overgrown fuels on neglected parcels in Brooktrails by working with the Brooktrails Township Community Service District, CAL FIRE, local fire agencies, the County of Mendocino, and the California Conservation Corps;
• partnering with the California Department of Water Resources to deliver 190 water tanks to Neighborhood Fire Safe Councils residents, increasing water storage and fire-fighting capacity by just under half a million gallons throughout the county;
• sponsoring a Community Foundation grant to help Point Arena Firewise implement an emergency communication radio system;
• sponsoring a Mendocino County Resource Conservation District grant from the North Coast Resource Partnership to plan fuel breaks protecting the Round Valley;
• partnering with the Mendocino Redwood Company to connect and widen a Low Gap Road fuel break;
• sponsoring a North Coast Regional Partnership NCRP technical-assistance grant for the Cherry Creek Fire Safe Council.
• collaborating with the North Coast Builders’ Exchange, Mendocino County Office of Education, and North Coast Opportunities on a Construction Corps workforce-development program, with both coastal and inland cohorts, that trains high school seniors on fire-resistant home-hardening construction and retrofits, providing both classroom and hands-on experience in this crucial, fast-growing field. Learn more at our blogpost.
• and many more projects involving multiple private and public entities.
NCBE’s Sergio Olivares Zuniga shows a student how to install an ember-resistant vent screen.
Over 175 people attended the Wildfire & Insurance Forum that we co-hosted in Willits, with many expert speakers presenting information on affordable fire insurance coverage.
A California Conservation Corps crew does fire-safety work on uninhabited parcels in Brooktrails.
Above: Water tanks from the CA Dept of Water Resources wait to be sent to their new homes.
Public Engagement
Newsletter
Our monthly newsletter, with 1,829 subscribers, was opened 7,451 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 2026 Platinum Seal of Transparency, as well as achieving a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator.
These highest-possible ratings put us in the topmost rank of charities nationally in terms of transparency, impact, accountability, leadership, progress, and other indicators.
Public Views
Our website had 18,472 users; our YouTube channel had 1,396 views; and our Facebook page had 2,474 visits with 118,403 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 out and about countywide, participating in 137 inter-agency meetings, 91 Neighborhood FSC meetings, and 34 community events of various kinds, in addition to sponsoring a free public Wildfire and Insurance Forum in Willits.
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.
Podcast Series
Check out our podcast series by 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!
Testimonials
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From Point Arena FSC about one of last year’s Micro-Grants:
Today we had our first weekly radio check-in – we've been checking in once a month, just before our fire safe meeting, but ham radio operators do a weekly check-in.
It is soooooo exciting to really be making this happen. With the repeater we got through the MCFSC Micro-Grant, we have people checking in from the ridges around Point Arena, not just from the pier and downtown. Thank you for helping us make this a reality.
— Jennifer Smallwood, Comptche
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From Ukiah:
Thank you to the Fire Safe Council for the help with my property. Your crew came in and did a great job. I want to thank the crew: Gabe, Freddie, Dan, Davette and Eric. And Bobbie Delgado for your assistance.
I’ve been by myself for 19 years, taking care of this large property by myself. I knew nothing about (the DSAFIE program) until a friend mentioned it. The crew was going to give me four hours, and that didn’t sound like much, but they sent 5 workers, which made up for it. They were helpful—very helpful.
I will be 85 this month, and felt blessed to benefit from the program.
— Dolores Hamilton
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From Albion Little River FSC:
The PG&E grant to remove fire fuel on Albion Ridge Road has been completed by Noyo Forestry. The crew did a terrific job, consulting with landowners and doing traffic control and efficient and tidy work.
We are grateful to them, and to MCFSC and the Albion Little River Fire Safe Council for securing the grant and overseeing the project. Many thanks all around.
— Sydelle Lupis, Albion Little River FSC
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From Ukiah:
I love your newsletter! I learn something new every time.
— Anonymous
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From Leggett:
I am writing about the Leggett Valley Volunteer Fire Department and their performance with forest cleaning to reduce the fire risk in our area.
In the past we have been skeptical of anyone working on our property in South Leggett because of poor performance and lack of follow-up. We are PLEASED to have had our entire property line along County Highway 442 cleaned as well as the lane leading to our neighbor's property, which is the only way in and out of those properties. They now feel much safer!
We are grateful for the professionalism, communication, timing, and quality of the Leggett Fire Department's performance, under the leadership of their fire chief Ely Reighter and his Assistant Chief John.
— Frank & Kay Kalmar
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From an Albion client:
Please share this with the Crew of Angels that came to my house to clear burnable forest residue near my house that was too close for comfort.
On Aug 13 at 9 am, your well-coordinated team of 5 people came to Albion to clear loose, dried, and ready to burn forest debris. They were my favorite type of humans – friendly, communicative, coordinated like a symphony, and good teachers for older women like me. They were obviously “old pros” at this work, and their positivity with each other and with me was a pleasure to watch and be a part of.
Meeting them and seeing their work made my day! If there are people in the world like this, then there is hope and excitement for the future too. They were a gift to me. I can sleep better knowing the #1 Team was here and left more than their artistic mark. I should be writing a song about them and their effects.
Thank you and all of them, always.
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From McNab Ranch (south of Ukiah):
The fuel-reduction that took place on both my road and on my property has been stellar. The quality and quantity of work being done along the road is truly a relief and a blessing for everyone on McNab Ranch, including my family... (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 on our property, on our road and overall… The work that they have been doing, and their communication, has exceeded expectations.
I am grateful to live in a county and a community that provides such support.
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From Rogina Heights (east Ukiah hills):
We want to thank you and the Awesome Crew for the service today. Please accept this donation to the Fire Safe Council. Also please let Danny know that I tried to locate them on Vichy Springs with refreshments, but I could not find them.
Wishing you all the best.
Financial Statements
Full reports are available upon request.
2025–26 Board Members
A LETTER FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT
MCFSC’s Annual Report this year reflects the dedication of neighbors, partners, volunteers, and staff working together to help Mendocino County become better prepared for wildfire. In this wildfire-prone place we all call home, preparedness is both personal and local, and every step we take together matters.
The new and existing programs that our terrific staff and crew are growing continue to make our county safer: We have begun to help residents and owners of mobile home parks be ready for wildfire; we now have 23 Firewise Communities in good standing, representing a nationally recognized high standard of planning and action; we expanded our school-based education program to the coast; and we once again expanded our Micro-Grant program to help local groups accomplish more priority projects.
Most importantly, MCFSC continues to show up where preparation happens—at homes, on properties, and in neighborhoods. Through our free Chipper Days, Defensible-Space Assistance, Community Work Parties, and Home Assessment Programs, we are helping residents countywide to take practical steps to protect the places they love.
Thank you for your continued support, and for being part of this shared effort to build a safer, stronger, and more resilient county.
Nancy Armstrong-Frost
President, Board of Directors
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
Maria Esser, GrizzlyCorps Fellow
Financial Support Services:
John Hansen, Accounting
Maureen Luis, Payroll AFSP, SRTP
New Staff
Maria Esser (she/her) is serving as MCFSC’s GrizzlyCorps Fellow. In this fellowship, she is focusing on developing wildfire resilience resources tailored to residents in dense rural housing communities, and also supports MCFSC’s Fire Science and Wildfire Safety Education Program for middle-school students in Mendocino County.
Maria Esser
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.
