$300,000 in grants awarded to 31 local Fire Safe Councils throughout the San Diego region

June 2, 2025 (San Diego) -- The San Diego Regional Fire Foundation (Fire Foundation) awarded $300,000 in grants to 31 Fire Safe Councils (FSCs) to aid in wildfire prevention and preparedness, including community education to make their neighborhoods safer.

"Our goal is to make San Diego County the safest in the nation," said Joan Jones, Executive Director of the San Diego Regional Fire Foundation. "You are the boots on the ground," she told Fire Safe Council members during the awards presentation on May 19 at an SDG&E facility."We have 13 new fire safe councils this year!"  San Diego now has over 50 fire safe councils-- the most of any region in the United States - all supported by the Fire Foundation. 

Fire Safe Councils are community-led, volunteer-based organizations dedicated to protecting homes and communities from wildfires. FSCs support their communities through various activities including fire-hardening homes, removing flammable plantings, hosting vegetation chipping events, installing reflective address signage, and educating and assisting neighbors with emergency preparedness.

In 2024, volunteers from FSCs invested 16,000 of their time in clearing 1.5 million cubic feet of vegetation, collecting 178 tons (356,000 pounds) of trash, metal, and e-waste; distributing 53,000 newsletters, and presenting 100  wildfire safety education events all geared toward making their communities safer for all residents.  

By Miriam Raftery

January 14, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) --Under the authority of the Fire Safe Council of San Diego County, the Rancho Helix De Oro is a newly formed fire safe council dedicated to educating and preparing our community in order to avoid devastating fires. The group has created an educational fire-safe flyer  (click link to view flyer) with information including tips for fire safety, an evacuation map, who to call during an emergency, and how to get emergency notification for the communities of Rancho San Diego, Mt. Helix and Casa de Oro.

The new group was formed with support from then-County Supervisor Dianne Jacob, the Grossmont-Mt. Helix Improvement Association, Valle de Oro Planning Group, Casa De Oro Alliance, and community members in collaboration with San Miguel Fire and Rescue, Cal Fire, San Diego County Sheriff, San Diego Gas & Electric, and the Fire Safe Council of San Diego County.