Napa Valley Vintners Gives $2.1 Million for Wildfire Resiliency

SAINT HELENA, Calif., April 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) is pleased to announce its investment of $2.1 million in support of wildfire resiliency in Napa County. Funds will go toward fire breaks, restoration of forestlands and education on forest health and wildfires.

NVV is the largest private donor supporting Napa County's Community Wildfire Protection Plan. Money gifted came through the Collective Napa Valley fall 2022 fundraising campaign with 100% raised going to the effort.

The grant brings together multiple agencies and organizations all cooperating on implementation. Grantee recipients are The Napa Communities Firewise Foundation (Napa Firewise) and Napa County Resource Conservation District (RCD). Together they are collaborating with local and state government offices such as Napa County Fire Department, CAL FIRE and other nonprofits like Napa County Land Trust and Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District to complete the work.

Money will be used to:

• Re-establish or create up to 100 miles of strategic fire roads and fire breaks throughout the county
• Establish up to 300 acres of native habitat to reduce wildfire risk and maximize ecological benefits
• Provide resources and education for 400 landowners and residents on forest health and wildfire resilience

"Addressing the issue of wildfires in Napa County is a top priority and I am pleased that, as a community, we have taken positive steps towards making Napa County more fire resilient over the last couple of years. This grant by the NVV will help us take another big step forward," said Napa County Supervisor Anne Cottrell.

According to the project collaborators, fire roads included in the grant will provide critical access for firefighters in the event of another wildfire and will also act as fire breaks to reduce or halt the spread of wildfires. The effectiveness of the fire roads will be further reinforced by planting wildfire resilient buffers. This work will help reduce dozer line maintenance, control erosion, provide wildlife habitat and improve wildfire resilience.

Wildfires remain one of Napa County's most pressing issues. Wildfires can cause devastation and disruption for all residents, local businesses and schools no matter where the fire is located.

"It's important that we collectively put forward solutions to prepare Napa Valley for the next wildfire event. We're humbled to be able to contribute to these efforts and are grateful to all the donors who helped raise these funds," said Jaime Araujo, member of the NVV board of directors and owner of Trois Noix. The Araujo family co-chaired the 2022 fall fundraiser.

This latest funding is in addition to last year's gifts to build upon Napa's wildfire resiliency. In 2022, NVV underwrote $25,000 in firefighting communications technology and put $33,000 toward wildfire camera monitoring. NVV is also a cofounder of the Fire Resources Fair in Napa County - now in its third year. The first phase of this current grant includes $1.6 million to be distributed immediately. Phase two of funding includes $500,000 that will be released in the near future.

About Napa Valley Vintners

The Napa Valley Vintners nonprofit trade association has been cultivating excellence since 1944 by inspiring its nearly 550 members to consistently produce wines of the highest quality, provide environmental leadership and care for the extraordinary place they call home. Since 1981, the NVV has invested more than $225 million in its community to provide equitable access to healthcare and opportunity for advancement in children's education. NVV is dedicated to improving diversity and championing inclusivity in its community and in the wine industry. Learn more at napavintners.com.

The Napa Communities Firewise Foundation (Napa Firewise)

Napa Firewise is a county-wide nonprofit organization that has been operating since 2004. Napa Firewise's mission to adapt Napa County for a fire-resilient future in its suburban, urban, and wildland areas to best protect the life, property, economy, and ecology of Napa County. In 2017 Napa Firewise completed a comprehensive effort to engage dozens of partners and stakeholders to develop a countywide Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) that was subsequently adopted by the Napa County Board of Supervisors as an action-oriented roadmap for wildfire preparedness and resiliency adaptation.

Napa County Resource Conservation District (RCD)

NCRCD is a non-regulatory special district that facilitates natural resource conservation through community involvement, education, technical expertise, and scientific research. Since its founding in 1945, NCRCD has been committed to using voluntary, cooperative, and scientifically sound methods to ensure that the natural resources of Napa County are conserved, protected, and restored in a landscape that supports agriculture, urban areas, and wild spaces. Today, NCRCD helps our community achieve conservation goals by focusing on issues ranging from forest health to fisheries, soil management, water conservation and quality, and more.

SOURCE Napa Valley Vintners