Fire season is coming for the dry East Bay. One community doesn't have the money to fight it
As a result of Prop 13, some areas in California cannot secure enough funds to bolster fire services. With the threat of climate change and wildfires looming over Californians, lack of resources strains existing fire services. As local fire agencies struggle to respond to these threats, one thing is clear: we must ensure our fire services are well-funded to protect all Californians.
Thick morning heat scorched the east Contra Costa County suburb of Brentwood.
By Rachel Swan, The SF Chronicle | 6/25/2021
“When Prop. 13 went into play, there were 3,000 residents out here,” Oakley resident and fire district board President Brian Oftedal said. Yet that was before the suburban boom and climate change converged to turn fire season into a ruthless new normal. East Contra Costa County Fire Protection District currently has three fire stations and crews — half of what it needs to serve a 249-square-mile area with 128,000 people, according to multiple studies commissioned by the district. Read More