Members reported on a recent State Watershed Council meeting that included a presentation from the Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands on post-fire actions on state lands. Staff said the presentation and the recording are available online and encouraged local councils to invite the regional forestry representative to discuss local issues.

Council members said the presentation focused on post-fire response rather than preventative fuels management; participants said preventative work is likely to appear on a future state agenda once the Forest Service is available to present. One council member noted the state is opening a new funding pool for wildfire-related projects; staff said municipalities and fire districts are direct applicants but that the division indicated there may be workarounds for specific projects where non-municipal applicants could access funds through partnerships.

Members described local challenges with fuels reduction and forest-service contracting timelines that they said slow down local fuels-reduction projects. They discussed operational approaches such as piling and on-site burning, and cited biochar and other treatments as potential restoration techniques. Several council members suggested inviting regional Forest Service or Division of Forestry staff to a future meeting to discuss local fuel-management barriers and possible funding pathways.

Staff said they would add wildfire-related funding and forestry engagement to future agendas and explore whether wildfire-scar layers or other spatial data can be added to the council map to help prioritize projects.