The Madera County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on June 3 to enter a one‑year cooperative agreement with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) worth $15,320,280 to fund fire protection, dispatch, staffing and extended response services for fiscal year 2025–26.

Assistant Chief Justin McComb told the board the agreement covers multiple stations across the county and funds personnel, dispatch response and equipment. “The total agreement is for $15,320,280,” he said during a presentation summarizing the department’s recent investments and operational changes.

Chiefs outlined recent capacity improvements funded through county, state and grant sources, including:
- Expanded cross‑staffing and additional tactical water tenders at multiple stations to improve simultaneous engine and tender responses.
- Deployment of tablet command iPads on frontline apparatus to improve situational awareness and tracking of resources in real time.
- New and replacement apparatus: Rosenbauer engines and Timberwolf hybrid units ordered for WUI response, additional Type‑6 wildland engines, and a new HAZMAT/breathing‑support unit.

CAL FIRE Madera’s Unit Chief Chris Trinidad said the department is also working regional mutual‑aid and auto‑aid agreements with neighboring agencies — including Fresno and Merced counties and local fire districts — that expand the “closest resource” concept and improve response times across jurisdictional boundaries.

Supervisors and chiefs discussed challenges recruiting and retaining paid‑call firefighters (PCFs). Chiefs said the county has an aging volunteer/PCF workforce and that many training graduates take full‑time jobs with CAL FIRE or other municipal departments. To address that, the county has adopted new job classifications for EMS‑only and support roles, increased pay for PCFs and enhanced training incentives.

Public comment included Bill Ritchie of Raymond, who said coverage remains inadequate in parts of the county and urged continued evaluation of long‑term staffing and funding needs. Ritchie said active PCF numbers countywide are lower than department slides indicated and asked the board to assess long‑term funding structures as CAL FIRE staffing and costs grow.

After discussion, the board approved the agreement by roll call (5–0). The contract number recorded in the agenda materials is 4CA07251.