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Contra Costa Fire briefs Brentwood council on wildland season, Measure X fuel‑mitigation and new aviation assets
Summary
Contra Costa County Fire presented wildfire readiness work for Brentwood, highlighting Measure X‑funded fuel mitigation, a new helicopter contract (~$2.7M), year‑round Crew 12 operations and lessons from June and recent Marsh Creek incidents. Council and residents pressed the district on coordination with CAL FIRE and evacuation communications.
Chief McAllister of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District told the council that "Fire season is upon us, and, just wanted to have an opportunity to speak with you and the community about wildland fire season." He outlined local hazard severity zones that include parts of Brentwood and detailed Measure X‑funded programs such as fuel mitigation, shaded fuel break projects and recent work on Marsh Creek State Park.
McAllister described operational capabilities the district now brings to the county: a year‑round Crew 12 based at the Byron Wildland Fire Center, dozers and graders for fire trails, and a seasonally contracted helicopter program that Con Fire budgets at about $2,700,000 this year. He contrasted the district’s current resources with 2013, citing closer aviation assets, staffed heavy equipment and newer hand crews that limited recent fires to far smaller footprints than earlier events.
In response to resident and council questions, McAllister said the county will coordinate more closely with the CAL FIRE Santa Clara unit and the county Office of Emergency Services on prevention and community warning. He explained that evacuation orders are ultimately law‑enforcement decisions but that fire provides subject‑matter expertise on where a hazard is headed. Council asked staff to consider more public outreach, including a preseason town hall or technical session on home hardening, insurance impacts and evacuation routes for neighborhoods near Marsh Creek.
