Editor’s note: Eliot Hurwitz is the Executive Director of the Seigler Springs Community Redevelopment Association (SSCRA), based in Lake County, California. Magdalena Valderrama is Program Director for SSCRA and a longtime FAC Net member. This blog begins a new series of their reflections on the intense work needed to build capacity in a rural county that has experienced multiple fire disasters in a short amount of time.
Community capacity to live well with wildfire is a persistent challenge. Despite increasingly frequent and severe wildfires, many communities fail to prioritize readiness until disaster strikes, hindering both recovery and future preparedness. In addition, small, rural communities often lack the capacity to manage wildfire-related work, further compounded by their distance from urban centers and training opportunities.
Lake County, California, exemplifies this struggle. A rural, historically impoverished area with limited resources, two-thirds of its land has burned over the past nine years. As County Supervisor Jessica Pyska, a survivor of the 2015 Valley Fire, explained to a statewide wildfire symposium, “[After being hit by the first of the current wave of megafires], Lake County initially lacked the staff, grant writers, and resources to effectively address wildfire risk.”
How can such communities overcome these seemingly insurmountable challenges? How long can it take—if it’s even possible—to achieve sustainable preparedness and recovery with minimal initial capacity?
Lake County’s experience offers valuable lessons. Recognizing the interconnectedness of financial, technical, and social capacities, and the crucial role of leadership, the county leveraged its rural, land-based social capital: determined leadership and inter-organizational relationships. Further deepening social capital while building financial and technical capacity, through what can be called “netweaving” (a deeper form of networking), has generated impressive results.
In the nine plus years since 2015, resident-led wildfire mitigation efforts have flourished in Lake County through structures like municipal advisory councils and Firewise Communities, fostering organization, education, and local project implementation. These efforts have attracted support from the county resource conservation district, fire protection districts, the county’s community action agency, and other nonprofits. Resident groups actively participate in county-level wildfire planning, including the state’s first joint Risk Reduction Authority. Cross-sector partnerships have strengthened both mitigation and preparedness by connecting disaster-service organizations, faith-based groups, fire safe councils, and Firewise Communities. The county has also secured significant external funding, attracting $30 million in grants and other funding opportunities. Community organizations are vital, mobilizing volunteers, advocates, and officials for on-the-ground work. The county’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan for post-disaster recovery and wildfire mitigation is also significant. Finally, a network of residents actively advocates for policy and practice improvements.
Capacity building is an ongoing process requiring continuous effort and collaboration. By investing in community skills, knowledge, and resources, individuals and organizations can significantly enhance wildfire resilience. As Supervisor Pyska noted at the State symposium, “While Lake County is not yet self-sustainable, it is making progress with the help of its neighbors.”
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