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City, OCFA outline expanded wildfire mitigation, weed‑abatement and grant effort
Summary
Orange County Fire Authority and San Clemente staff reviewed inspections, defensible‑space work, Firewise community outreach, and grant applications — including a pending FEMA Hazard Mitigation Program request — and described an annual weed‑abatement process and pilot goat‑grazing continuation.
Orange County Fire Authority staff and San Clemente officials told the City Council on Oct. 7 they are stepping up wildfire prevention with more defensible‑space inspections, expanded home‑hardening outreach and multiple grant applications, even as an $8.5 million FEMA Hazard Mitigation Program request remains uncertain. OCFA assistant fire marshal Nick Pivaroff said the focus is “education, prevention and enforcement” and described a program of inspections, HOA coordination and home assessments. Community Development Director Adam Matamian said the city runs an annual weed‑abatement program that clears private and city properties and can assess liens on noncompliant owners.
The presentation outlined four strands of work: OCFA pre‑fire management and defensible‑space inspections; the city’s 2026 weed‑abatement program and clearing of certain city‑owned reservoir and well sites; home‑hardening outreach and free home assessments; and pursuit of outside funding. Pivaroff said OCFA will perform about 2,964 inspections in the city during 2026, stressing perimeter fuel‑management for very high‑ and high‑fire‑severity zones. He urged homeowners to use a 1/8‑inch mesh for vents to reduce ember intrusion and said 55 homeowners have received free home‑hardening assessments this year in San Clemente.
Matamian said staff applied for a FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant to develop a citywide fuel‑reduction plan (an $8.5 million request) and will not see whether it is awarded for about 18 months. He also said a U.S. Department of Forestry grant application for a community wildfire protection plan was unsuccessful. The city is finalizing requests for proposals to extend a pilot goat‑grazing program to control fuels and is planning volunteer brush‑clearance events.
Council members asked staff to verify local code details on attic screening and to return with updates on any code changes. Council also heard that OCFA is managing Cal Fire grant applications and Firewise community certification work in Sea Point Estates and Forrester Ranch. Pivaroff said Firewise is a grassroots, neighbor‑to‑neighbor program that also can lower insurance premiums and that OCFA must administer Cal Fire grants in the county.
