PG&E and California Fire Foundation Open Applications for Wildfire Safety and Preparedness Grants

Rhea-AI Summary

PG&E and the California Fire Foundation (CFF) have announced their 2025 Wildfire Safety and Preparedness Program (WSPP), offering $1.65 million in total funding. The program includes $950,000 in competitive grants for fire departments and community organizations, with applications open from May 30 to June 30, 2025. This shareholder-funded initiative, now in its eighth year, has provided $10.45 million since 2018. In 2024, the program supported the purchase of 7,560 pieces of protective equipment, removal of 21+ acres of hazardous vegetation, and processing of 1.5 million pounds of combustibles. The WSPP focuses on high-risk areas in Northern and Central California, funding fire safety equipment, defensible space creation, and multilingual outreach campaigns in English, Spanish, Chinese, Hmong, and Vietnamese.

More than $1 million in grants, public education, and outreach funded in 2025; Applications Accepted May 30 through June 30

OAKLAND, Calif., June 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ahead of California's peak fire season, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and the California Fire Foundation (CFF) are encouraging California-based fire departments and community-based organizations to apply for grants for wildfire safety and preparedness programs and projects. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on June 30, 2025, through the CFF website. Award notification will begin July 31, 2025.

The grant program continues an eight-year partnership between PG&E and CFF. PG&E and The PG&E Corporation Foundation (PG&E Foundation) are providing a total of $1.65 million to CFF's Wildfire Safety and Preparedness Program (WSPP). The program continues to raise public awareness about wildfire safety and deliver resources to underserved communities in high fire-risk areas.

The program includes a competitive grant program that last year awarded 55 local fire departments and community groups $750,000 in funding. This year's program includes increased funding for $950,000 in grant awards. Funding for these charitable donations comes from PG&E shareholders, not customers.

In 2024, funding supported:

• Purchasing approximately 7,560 pieces of personal protection equipment including helmets, boots, gloves, goggles and fire shelters
• Removing over 21 acres of hazardous tree and brush
• Chipping and hauling of 1.5 million pounds of tree limbs, branches and other combustibles
• Conducting 22 prescribed fires or pile burns for forest management

"Now in its eighth year, the Wildfire Safety and Preparedness Program serves as a constant reminder to Californians of the recurring and deadly nature of wildfires," said Angie Carmignani, Executive Director of the California Fire Foundation. "Whether during historic wildfire seasons or quieter periods, the program has remains steadfast – reaching communities year after year to ensure they're prepared for wildfire. Our partnership with PG&E has been instrumental in making this life-saving work possible and directly supports CFF's mission to strengthen disaster preparedness across our state."

Since 2018, CFF, which administers and manages the program, has awarded 368 grants to fire departments and community organizations statewide, focusing its efforts in Northern and Central California. Funding targets communities identified as having extreme or elevated fire risk as identified by the California Public Utilities Commission.

"PG&E is grateful for our ongoing partnership with the California Fire Foundation as we share the goal of helping our hometowns do everything possible to prevent wildfires. The projects that these grants fund, such as creating defensible space, enabling fuel-reduction programs and conducting fire-safety outreach campaigns, are essential across our service area and especially within underserved communities," said Mark Quinlan, PG&E's Senior Vice President, Wildfire, Emergency & Operations.

How the Grants Help Communities

From 2018 to the present, PG&E and the PG&E Foundation have provided $10.45 million in total support for fire safety awareness through the program. The charitable contributions are shareholder-funded, not paid for by PG&E customers.

Since 2018, WSPP has funded:

• Specialized fire equipment and personal protective equipment
• Defensible space and vegetation management efforts
• Fuel/hazard reduction programs
• Fire prevention and emergency preparedness education, including senior citizen wildfire preparedness programs
• Partnerships with community groups in high fire-risk areas to distribute fire-safety information
• Fire safety outreach campaigns, including 12,000 multi-lingual brochures targeting      under-resourced communities in English, Spanish, Chinese, Hmong, and Vietnamese

The program develops and distributes in-language fire-safety messaging targeting Spanish, Chinese, Hmong, and Vietnamese communities. These efforts include a comprehensive media campaign consisting of outdoor billboards and in-language television, radio, and digital ads.

The California Fire Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, aids firefighters, their families, and the communities they protect. CFF's Firefighters on Your Side program, also supported by PG&E, provides multi-lingual, culturally relevant fire safety messaging in both digital and print forms to assist the public in staying safe.

About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news.

About The PG&E Corporation Foundation
The PG&E Corporation Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, separate from PG&E and sponsored by PG&E Corporation.

About California Fire Foundation
The California Fire Foundation, a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization, provides emotional and financial assistance to families of fallen firefighters, firefighters, and the communities they protect. Formed in 1987 by California Professional Firefighters, the California Fire Foundation's mandate includes an array of survivor and victim assistance projects and community initiatives. cafirefoundation.org

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SOURCE Pacific Gas and Electric Company

FAQ

What is the deadline to apply for PG&E's 2025 Wildfire Safety and Preparedness grants?

Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on June 30, 2025, through the CFF website, with award notifications beginning July 31, 2025.

How much funding is PG&E providing for wildfire safety grants in 2025?

PG&E and The PG&E Foundation are providing $1.65 million total, with $950,000 specifically allocated for grant awards, an increase from the previous year's $750,000.

What did PG&E's wildfire safety program accomplish in 2024?

In 2024, the program funded 7,560 pieces of personal protection equipment, removed over 21 acres of hazardous vegetation, and processed 1.5 million pounds of tree limbs and combustibles.

How many grants has PG&E's Wildfire Safety and Preparedness Program awarded since 2018?

Since 2018, the program has awarded 368 grants to fire departments and community organizations statewide, with a total investment of $10.45 million in fire safety awareness.

Who pays for PG&E's wildfire safety grants program?

The program is funded by PG&E shareholders, not PG&E customers, through charitable contributions.