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By Diana Griffin
Dec. 19, 2025 (Crest) -- The Crest Fire Safe Council has been awarded a three-year Wildfire Prevention Grant from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to support a community-wide curbside chipping program aimed at reducing wildfire risk and improving defensible space throughout Crest.
Crest encompasses approximately 4,180 acres, with nearly 2,900 residents and 1,395 structures, and lies entirely within a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.
The Crest Fire Safe Council has demonstrated sustained leadership in promoting defensible space and fuels-reduction efforts across the community. This grant represents both a continuation and expansion of those ongoing initiatives.
The curbside chipping program funded through the grant will help remove common barriers residents face when disposing of cleared vegetation.
By offering scheduled chipping days conducted by a local contractor, the program allows residents to improve defensible space on their properties without ground disturbance and without the cost or inconvenience of hauling vegetation to disposal sites.
The grant will fund approximately 10 chipping days per year, serving an estimated 60 to 70 households annually. Over the three-year grant period, the program is expected to benefit roughly 180 to 210 households, resulting in measurable reductions in hazardous fuels and enhanced wildfire preparedness throughout the community.
According to CAL FIRE, this award was one of only two Wildfire Prevention Grants issued in San Diego County during this funding cycle.
The selection underscores the Crest Fire Safe Council’s effectiveness and leadership in advancing wildfire-risk-reduction strategies.
The grant directly supports fuels-reduction and defensible-space efforts by helping residents overcome vegetation-disposal challenges, contributing to safer conditions across Crest. The Crest Planning Group continues to serve as a valuable platform for sharing opportunities like this that enhance wildfire safety across the subregion through CAL FIRE programs, Firewise USA participation and other coordinated risk-reduction efforts.
More information about CAL FIRE’s Wildfire Prevention Grants program is available at
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