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Conservation Corps awarded $897,000 Cal Fire grant for wildfire mitigation on Catalina
Summary
Catalina Island Conservancy said Conservation Corps of Long Beach won an $897,000 Cal Fire grant to treat 450 acres across multiple roads and canyons to reduce fuel loads and protect roughly 1,800 structures; crews will make repeated week‑long visits through 2029 and coordinate with Avalon Fire and LA County Fire.
The Catalina Island Conservancy told the Avalon City Council that a Conservation Corps of Long Beach (CCLB) project will begin wildfire‑fuel reduction work on Catalina after securing an $897,000 grant from Cal Fire. Adam Fink, chief of programs at the Conservancy, said the grant will fund removal of invasive, highly flammable vegetation across approximately 450 acres including Stagecoach Road, Saint Catherine's Way, East End Light Road, Wrigley Road and Avalon Canyon Road with the goal of better protecting about 1,800 structures and key evacuation routes.
Dan Knapp of CCLB described the corps’ workforce development model and multiple program benefits: wildfire fuel reduction training, youth career pathways, and partnerships with LA County Fire and local Conservancy staff. Knapp said crews will begin week‑long deployments as soon as this summer and plan to run roughly 62 week‑long visits through 2029, with lodging and transport facilitated by local partners. "We were the first corps to be called out to Altadena, post Altadena fire," Knapp said, describing the corps' wildfire response experience.
Council members expressed support and asked about coordination with the Avalon Fire Department and operational logistics; staff said they will continue to facilitate lodging, transport and interagency coordination.
