California firefighters are bracing for another difficult season.
2020’s fire season broke records, and drought conditions persist in a huge portion of the state.
Governor Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday that he’s using emergency funding to boost support for Cal Fire before the wildfire season starts.
Jon Heggie, a Battalion Chief with Cal Fire, says that should hopefully ensure that 2021's fire season isn't a repeat of 2020's.
"We're augmenting where we need extra staffing and making a commitment to ensure that we're doing everything we know we can possibly manage before the fires break out. That comes to extra staffing, it comes to fuel reduction projects, education and outreach, public engagement."
On top of the $1 billion for firefighting efforts proposed in the Governor’s 2021 budget, the Emergency Fund authorization allocated $80.74 million to hire 1,399 additional firefighters.