What they’re saying: California’s 25 key deliverables for 2025 to protect communities from wildfire

SACRAMENTO – Last month, the Governor’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force released a list of 25 key deliverables to build on the state’s ongoing efforts to protect Californians from increasing threats posed by catastrophic wildfire and a changing climate. 

Following that release, leaders from across the state came together for a convening of the Task Force to share insights from the recent Los Angeles firestorms and discuss how priorities set in the 2025 deliverables will accelerate collective progress to increasing our resilience to wildfire.

A full list of the 2025 key deliverables is available here.

Here is a snapshot of what leaders are saying across the state:

Lenya Quinn-Davidson, Fire Network Director, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources: “The Governor and the Task Force hit the nail on the head with their 2025 priorities. Efforts like home hardening; prescribed fire training; and strategic, landscape-scale fire planning are necessary next steps for our future with fire in California, and time is of the essence. We’ve spent years building this shared vision—let’s make it a reality!”

Matt Dias, President, Calforests: “These Task Force priorities, coupled with the recent Governor’s Proclamation of Emergency supporting prevention activities, are the necessary actions to protect lives, communities and forests in an era of increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires across California.”

Scott Stephens, Professor of Fire Science, UC Berkeley: “Fire ignited by Indigenous people and lightning have been part of California ecosystems for thousands of years. The Governor’s Executive Orders and 2025 Deliverables will expedite the reintroduction of fire at meaningful scales and I fully support them.” 

Jacy Hyde, Executive Director, California Fire Safe Council: “The California Fire Safe Council (CFSC) has served as a trusted partner to support and mobilize community-led wildfire mitigation and preparedness in California’s highest risk communities. CFSC enthusiastically supports the Task Force’s efforts to build landscape resilience and empower communities to life safely with wildfire.”

Dan Porter, California Forest Strategy Lead, The Nature Conservancy: “The Nature Conservancy applauds the accomplishments of the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force. Through bold action the state can reduce the number, severity, and impact of wildfires with regionally appropriate interventions. We look forward to working with the Task Force on the implementation of its 2025 Deliverables.”

Steve Frisch, Executive Director, Sierra Business Council: “The Governor is taking bold and direct action to reduce the risk of wildfire and its impact on California communities. This is particularly important in the Sierra Nevada, where wildfire resilience work not only protects communities but creates economic opportunities as we innovate to implement forest management, increase biomass utilization to reduce the cost of forest treatment, and develop new wood products.”

Don Hankins, Co-lead, Indigenous Stewardship Network: “While we still have a long way to go, the action plan has laid a framework to catalyze meaningful change for the state. One key way it has done so is related to engagement and support for tribal entities. I definitely see many more opportunities to fortify this initial work and uplift communities these plans have laid a foundation for.” 

Leaf Hillman and James Gore, Co-Chairs of the North Coast Regional Partnership (NCRP): “As the Co-chairs of NCRP, representing North Coast Tribes, counties and other regional partners, we have been impressed with the depth, breadth, and effectiveness of actions being moved forward by the Task Force and its partners – ranging from investments in data and planning tools, community health and safety, cultural and beneficial fire, workforce and capacity, landscape scale resilience programs, streamlining of regulatory programs, wood products utilization, and science based frameworks for measuring progress. These actions are all resulting in positive on-the-ground outcomes in our region, increasing the pace and scale of projects and initiatives that result in wildfire, climate, and community resilience.”

Robert Macaulay, Madera County Supervisor and CA State Association of Counties (CSAC) representative on Task Force’s Executive Committee: “These deliverables are the product of hundreds of our best and brightest experts in forest health. While there is still a seemingly endless amount of work to be done, I am encouraged by these efforts and am committed to working with the State and Federal Government to bring them into fruition.”

Marissa Christiansen, Executive Director, Climate and Wildfire Institute: “Lasting wildfire resilience cannot happen in silos. The Task Force has been instrumental in advancing a more integrated approach, ensuring critical information flows seamlessly across sectors. The Climate & Wildfire Institute is proud to support open data and collaboration across boundaries by linking research, policy, and practice to equip decision-makers with smarter, proactive solutions.”

Zach Knight, CEO, Blue Forests: “To meet the scale of California’s wildfire crisis, we need to collaborate across sectors in ways we haven’t before. Public-private partnerships must be leveraged to bridge funding gaps, implement landscape-scale restoration, and build out forest utilization infrastructure. We are excited to continue to support the efforts of the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force in unlocking innovative solutions that will accelerate the pace of forest restoration in California, protecting communities and strengthening our economy.”

Mark Brown, Executive Officer, Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority: “The California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force has taken a thoughtful, science-based approach in developing the 2025 Action Plan, providing a clear and effective path to improving the wildfire resilience of our state’s forests, wildlands, and communities. At the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority, we have embraced this Action Plan as our foundation and guiding principles as we work with our communities to become fire adapted. We are grateful for the Task Force’s leadership in increasing the pace and scale of wildfire mitigation efforts across California, and we look forward to collaborating on building a Science-Based Framework for Measuring Progress to ensure long-term resilience.” 

Michael O’Connell, President and Chief Executive Officer, Irvine Ranch Conservancy: “California is a remarkably diverse state and every region has different needs for fire management. The Task Force clearly recognizes this diversity, and their 2025 Priorities reflect the needs of every region. In coastal Southern California we deeply appreciate the Task Force’s leadership on the unconventional challenges we face in managing wildfire.”

Sophia Lemmo, CA Association of Resource Conservation Districts: “Through stronger collaboration, flexible block grants tailored to regional needs, streamlined regulations, and dedicated support for Emergency Forest Restoration Teams, the Task Force has strengthened RCDs’ capacity to advance forest resilience and recovery efforts. I’m confident that the 2025 priorities will further enhance RCDs’ ability to engage more landowners and expand their impact on forest stewardship.”

Jonathan Kusel, Executive Director, The Sierra Institute: “The report by the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task force highlights the important coordination of groups, activities and projects across the State that collectively are reducing risk of catastrophic wildfire and protecting communities. The Task Force’s work identifies what is being done and in so doing helps groups, agencies and others more effectively target resources to where they’re most critically needed. This is essential work.”