Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program
The Inland Empire Resource Conservation District (IERCD) has been working through the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program (RFFC) since 2019. RFFC is a State funded program administered through the Department of Conservation. IERCD’s RFFC program funds forest and fire capacity projects in the San Bernardino Mountains and adjacent foothill communities, with funding supporting the following types of activities:
- Building and sustaining capacity
- Project development
- Regional priority planning
- Outreach and engagement
- Regional and statewide coordination
Projects in the region are prioritized, funded, and executed through strong partnerships with fire and forestry agencies, special districts, non-profits, universities, and community groups. The RFFC program has invested $7.12 million into our region, funding projects that invest in workforce development, permitting and environmental review, multi-agency partnerships, demonstration projects, Fire Safe Council capacity and support, and more. The sections below highlight success stories and active projects funded by the RFFC program in our region.
San Bernardino Mountains. Photo: IERCD
Building and Sustaining Capacity
San Bernardino Mountains Headwaters Resiliency partnership
Partners working in the San Bernardino Mountains developed the Headwaters Resiliency Partnership (HRP) with the goal of working collaboratively to accelerate the pace and scale of forest health and fire resilience projects to make the landscape more resistant to disturbances like catastrophic wildfire and enhance its ability to be more resilient when disturbances occur. The partners work together to coordinate, plan, and implement projects across boundaries; align priorities in our region; combine resources like funding, staff, and connections to fill gaps; prepare to apply for large-scale funding; and develop career pathways and workforce development opportunities.
HRP partners participated in a tour for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) as part of the annual summit which was hosted in the United States in 2023. Visitors from different countries came to learn about forest health, fire prevention, and timber management in the US and we had the opportunity to share about the HRP partnership and effective collaboration.
In October 2023, HRP partners presented to State Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh about current forest projects in the San Bernardino National Forest.
Urban COnservation Corps
The Southern California Mountains Foundation’s Urban Conservation Corps is a certified local corps that employs young adults (ages 18-26) from diverse backgrounds and from the most climate-impacted communities. Through their service, corpsmembers continue their education, develop personally, strengthen their career and leadership skills, and make plans for their next steps in life. With RFFC funding, the Urban Conservation Corps crews have worked on fuels reduction and restoration projects in the San Bernardino National Forest and received additional training and workforce development opportunities.
Community Wildfire Protection Plans
Four community meetings were held in 2019 on preparing for wildfire, before, during, and after a fire event. Photo: IERCD
One goal of our RFFC program is to increase capacity within communities living in the mountains and wildland urban interface to address wildfire risk and get involved in fire prevention planning. Through a sub-grant with the Mountain Rim Fire Safe Council, RFFC funded the development of 5 Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs). These CWPPs were either updates or brand new plans for the Mountain Rim Fire Safe Council and the communities of Angelus Oaks, East Little Mountain, Mt. Baldy, and Wrightwood. These plans provide a foundation for each community's wildfire preparedness planning and include a suite of home hardening, forest health, and hazardous fuels reduction projects to help align community needs with agency efforts.
Prescribed grazing project
The community of East Little Mountain in north San Bernardino has experienced multiple fires in the past decade, with a recent 2019 fire burning several homes. The community came together as a result of these frequent fires and developed the East Little Mountain Fire Safe Council (ELMFSC). One of their first projects was a prescribed grazing effort to manage the flashy fuels on steep slopes that have carried fire into their community. The RFFC program is funding three consecutive years of prescribed grazing on East Little Mountain to manage annual grasses, reduce the seed bank of invasive grasses on slopes, and encourage the establishment of native species. Through this project, the ELMFSC is also building internal capacity and increasing community engagement to coordinate across landowners to manage and protect their community.
Grazing goats and sheep in the community of East Little Mountain, San Bernardino. Photo: IERCD
Project Development
North big bear landscape restoration project
The San Bernardino National Forest is undergoing the NEPA planning process for the 13,000-acre North Big Bear Landscape Restoration Project to promote forest health and improve watershed condition. RFFC has filled gaps in project planning by funding cultural resources, botany, and wildlife surveys as part of the environmental review process. RFFC funding will also be used for project implementation, including funding the Urban Conservation Corps to treat project acres, providing resources for prescribed fire, and implementing surveys to protect critical resources.
View of Lytle Creek as it runs through Applewhite Picnic Area, October 2007. Photo: Carol Underhill
Lytle Creek hazardous fuels reduction project
The San Bernardino National Forest (SBNF) has been working on the planning and analysis for the Lytle Creek Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project and was limited in capacity to complete the NEPA Environmental Analysis documentation, an important part of planning and review for projects. Through RFFC Program funding, IERCD contracted a NEPA consultant to review the individual specialist reports for the project and finalize the Environmental Assessment for the SBNF. This project will result in strategic fuel breaks and prescribed fire in areas within Lytle Creek Canyon to protect the community from wildfire risk and enhance the effectiveness of firefighting efforts.
Wildwood Canyon State Park Fuels Reduction Project
Wildwood Canyon State Park is an 800-acre property managed by California State Parks where a variety of multi-benefit fuels treatments are proposed to moderate fire behavior and reduce fire intensity in the event of a wildfire. Before implementation can begin, project planning and environmental analysis must be completed. Project partners, including California State Parks, CAL FIRE, and IERCD, will coordinate to prepare the environmental analysis and surveys using their existing staff skills and expertise. RFFC funding will be used to fill capacity needs by contracting a CEQA consultant to complete the remaining environmental analysis, as well as prepare the draft and final environmental planning documentation for the project.
Regional Priority Planning
As part of the RFFC program requirements, IERCD has prepared a Regional Priority Plan through a multi-agency collaborative process. The Regional Priority Plan identifies priority forest and fire capacity projects in the San Bernardino Mountains and adjacent foothill communities, with projects ranging from conceptual to partially implemented. Through strong partnerships across fire and forestry agencies, special districts, non-profits, universities, and community groups, we intend to use the Regional Priority Plan to guide regional work, partner on projects for greater success and increased resources, and identify gaps in services that can be addressed through future grant funds or new partnerships. The San Bernardino Mountains are fortunate to have dozens of effective organizations working to address these areas of work, and with greater collaboration and prioritization we hope to reduce fire threat in the mountains and communities and increase overall forest health. For more information, see the Regional Priority Plan here.
Outreach and Engagement
goldspotted oak borer management
5,511 oaks on 87 properties and removed 50 heavily infested amplifier trees. In addition to management support, IERCD has worked with partners including the Inland Empire Fire Safe Alliance, local Fire Safe Councils, CAL FIRE, the San Bernardino National Forest, and others to provide outreach and education to landowners, residents, and visitors in the San Bernardino Mountains. This pest is primarily transported through the movement of firewood, so outreach and community pest identification training are an important part of stopping the spread.
Scan or click the QR code for more information about Goldspotted Oak Borer!
Regional and Statewide Coordination
Southern California Regional WildFire Resilience Convenings
IERCD also plays a regional coordinating role through the RFFC program. IERCD staff work with the other RFFC grantees in the region to coordinate semi-annual convenings where Southern California forest health and fire prevention practitioners meet for information and resource sharing. The convenings also increase coordination between local partners and State and Federal agencies. State and Federal partners join the convenings to ensure important information is disseminated between local practitioners and State and Federal agencies in an effort to work toward the goals of the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan.
California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force
In a response commensurate with the challenge, Governor Gavin Newsom created the California Wildfire & Forest Resilience Task Force, bringing together an unprecedented coalition of the best available resources for preventing catastrophic wildfires by creating healthier, more sustainable natural environments. Through the RFFC program, IERCD is helping to support the Southern California Task Force meetings, ensure local engagement in the Task Force’s Action Plan, and coordinate with Task Force leadership. At the February 2023 Task Force meeting, IERCD staff participated in a panel discussion on Southern California key issues and priorities and co-hosted a tour in partnership with the Angeles National Forest showcasing several projects, including Goldspotted Oak Borer Management in the community of Wrightwood.
RFFC Program Contacts:
Susie Kirschner
Conservation Programs Manager
skirschner@iercd.org
(909) 307-4934
Melanie Garcia
Forestry Programs Lead
mgarcia@iercd.org
(760) 565-2905
This work is funded by a grant awarded by the California Natural Resources Agency as part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment — particularly in disadvantaged communities. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
