- Whose project
- Napa County — recipient of the FEMA HMGP grant; Napa Firewise has been selected through competitive RFP process.
- Where
- Tubbs & Glass Fire affected areas; all work within two miles of a structure
- Status
- Survey & planning phase — fieldwork anticipated 2027–2028
About the Project
This Napa County project is funded through the 2022 Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) — a FEMA program that helps communities reduce the risk of future disasters, in direct response to the 2017 Tubbs Fire and the 2020 Glass Fire. Napa County is the recipient of the grant. Napa Firewise has been selected through competitive RFP process to carry out the project on the County’s behalf, coordinating the surveys, outreach, planning, and implementation described here.
The goal is to lower wildfire risk by reducing hazardous fuels — overgrown brush, ladder fuels, and dead and dying trees. As with all projects, the land dictates the treatment. What’s right for one property — and protective of its natural and cultural resources — may be wrong for another. Napa Firewise and the County of Napa believe in the right treatment in the right place philosophy, and that’s why careful study comes before any work.
Project Treatment Details
The specific method for each property is determined by its assessment completed by a registered professional forester. Treatments funded under this grant may include:
- Mechanical vegetation management
- Hand-crew (non-mechanical) vegetation management
- Roadside clearance along evacuation and access routes
- Hazard tree removal
- Prescribed (targeted) grazing
Prior to work beginning, each participating property owner receives a property-specific report identifying which treatments are suitable and which are supported by grant funding.
The Landowner Access Agreement (LOA)
Beginning in February 2026, Napa Firewise started contacting landowners whose parcels fall within the proposed treatment area. If you received a letter, it included a map of the proposed area and asked you to sign a Landowner Access Agreement. The maps below are NOT final project maps but give residents an understanding of the vicinity of this FEMA funded project work.
What You’re Giving Permission For
Signing the Landowner Access Agreement grants the Napa Firewise team, acting on the County’s behalf, a license to enter your property for the work this project involves. That covers two related things: site surveys and resource monitoring, and — once the project is finalized and permitted — the actual wildfire fuel reduction work, which can include vegetation management, fire access road maintenance, and related activities. Access is limited to the parts of your property where the work is actually performed, plus any areas that must be crossed to reach the work site or to carry out required monitoring surveys.
Surveys are performed by a Registered Professional Forester. No vegetation is removed and no treatment is performed during a survey visit. By signing, you also confirm you have the authority to grant access to the property.
Why the Surveys Come First
Because this is a federally funded project, it must complete an Environmental and Historic Preservation (EHP) review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and federal requirements before any treatment is planned. The surveys provide the information that review depends on, and they directly shape which treatment is appropriate for each site — for example, identifying and avoiding sensitive plant species and other natural and cultural resources.
One Agreement, Two Phases
This is a single agreement that covers both the surveys and the treatment work — not a survey-only permission. The treatment phase does not begin right away. The license to perform actual fuel reduction work takes effect only after Napa Firewise receives and approves a final, permitted project description, meaning the environmental review and permitting are complete and the scope of work for your area has been set. At that point, the access you granted by signing authorizes crews to carry out the approved work.
Received a letter, or have questions?
If you’ve received a letter, or simply want to understand what this means for your property, please reach out. We’re happy to walk you through the process.
How to sign
You can sign the Landowner Access Agreement in either way:
Online: scan the QR code on your letter, or use the link below.
By mail: NCFF, P.O. Box 2336, Napa, CA 94558.
Project timeline
This is a multi-year, federally funded effort, and the process moves deliberately. Dates are approximate and depend on survey access, the environmental review, and grant schedules.
-
2025
Project setup & planning
Project areas defined, consultants engaged, and review of existing data and environmental clearances begins.
-
Early 2026 We are here
Landowner outreach & Access Agreements
We contact landowners in the proposed treatment area to request permission for surveys. This is the stage your letter is about.
-
2026
Site surveys & assessments
With access granted, our Registered Professional Forester surveys each property to identify resources to avoid and to determine suitable treatments.
-
2026–2027
Environmental review & treatment plans
Survey results feed the CEQA/EHP environmental and historic-preservation review. Parcel-specific treatment plans are developed, with public review as required. Implementation cannot begin until the State issues a Notice to Proceed.
-
2027–2028 (TENTATIVE)
Fieldwork & implementation
Once reviews are complete and approvals are in hand, fuels-reduction work is anticipated to take place, followed by monitoring and project close-out.
FAQ
This project is supported by the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program and administered by Napa County. This website is the property of Napa County and was developed in cooperation with Napa County Communications.
We are committed to accessibility. If you have difficulty using this page, contact us and we will provide the information in an alternative format.
Napa Communities Firewise Foundation · P.O. Box 2336, Napa, CA 94558 · napafirewise.org · Tax ID #26-0147748
This phase carried out for the County by the Napa Communities Firewise Foundation.