Gov. Gavin Newsom today signed new legislation that will provide more than $170 million in state funding to help prevent wildfires while signing an order aimed at speeding up the work by easing environmental permitting.
THE funding — which the Democratic governor said was part of a broader effort to better protect communities ahead of peak fire season — comes as the state is under extraordinary pressure after the January infernos that devastated Los Angeles communities.
California has already experienced its second most destructive fire year on record, with more than 16,000 homes and other buildings damaged or destroyed by the two major fires in the Los Angeles area. Most of the destruction occurred in neighborhoods where development meets wildland, a high-risk area known as the wildland-urban interface.
The money comes from a $10 billion bond measure for environmental projects approved by California voters last year. Authorized as part of a fast-tracked, early action budget bill approved by the Legislature, the funds will be paid to six conservancies throughout California. The agencies, which operate under the governor’s Resources Agency, will manage the removal of vegetation and thinning of forests within their regions.
At least half, $85 million, will be…
