Moraga council hears update on Firewise network, grant challenges and Measure X spending

Moraga Town Council members on Oct. 15 received an update on local wildfire‑prevention work from the Moraga‑Orinda Firewise Network and heard town staff describe recent Measure X funding for public property abatement and a countywide evacuation study request for proposals.

Mark Evans, chair of the Moraga‑Orinda Firewise Network, told the council the network now recognizes about 43 Firewise neighborhoods across the fire district and is organizing homeowners around defensible‑space work, cost‑share grants and outreach. "I am Mark Evans. I am currently the chairperson for the Moraga‑Orinda Firewise Network," he said, summarizing the group's role in coordinating resident education and neighborhood projects.

The Firewise group is focusing on defensible space and neighborhood cost‑share projects, Evans said. The network's model uses multi‑household contracting to reduce per‑property costs; Evans said the neighborhood approach can yield roughly 30% savings compared with individual contracts. The program typically uses 50/50 matching…