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SANTA CLARA COUNTY FIRESAFE COUNCIL AND CITY OF PALO ALTO SIGN $2.5 MILLION DOLLAR MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT FOR WILDFIRE MITIGATION, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS SERVICES
The contract will support Palo Alto Fire Department vegetation management projects for hazardous fuel reduction in Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) areas, defensible space programs, Firewise USA, community workshops, Home Ignition Zone (HIZ) assessments and wildfire technology projects for early detection and response.
August 26, 2025, Saratoga, CA—The Santa Clara County FireSafe Council (SCCFSC) announced today it has been awarded a new five-year contract from the City of Palo Alto to continue providing a variety of wildfire risk reduction services under the direction of the Palo Alto Fire Department (PAFD). The contract will enable SCCFSC to augment PAFD programs further supporting PAFD’s wildfire resilience projects in designated High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) in the most recent CAL FIRE FHSZ mapping released earlier this year. The contract will also support pilot testing, procurement and implementation of various wildfire technology solutions at the direction of the PAFD Fire Marshal.
“This partnership is a critical investment in our community’s resilience against the threat of wildfire,” states Palo Alto’s Fire Chief Geo Blackshire. “Combining advanced technology, strategic mitigation efforts and community engagement adds multiple layers of protection for Palo Alto residents and surrounding communities. These efforts cannot guarantee our safety, so every resident in the wildland urban interface plays a vital role in fire prevention through defensible space maintenance, emergency preparedness and being informed about fire conditions. Collectively, we can create a safer, fire-safe community.
According to Seth Schalet, CEO of Santa Clara County FireSafe Council, “This new funding is an expansion of our partnership with the Palo Alto Fire Department and will support their Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) communities, which are in service areas located in CAL FIRE-designated High and Very High Fire Severity Zones (FHSZ). Through a combination of technology investments, hazardous fuel reduction projects and community engagement, we share the City of Palo Alto and Palo Alto Fire Department’s commitment to wildfire resiliency.
About Palo Alto Fire Department:
The Palo Alto Fire Department (PAFD) is a professional team dedicated to safeguarding and enriching the lives of anyone, anywhere with compassion and pride. The department provides emergency response, fire, and life safety services to the Palo Alto community— including over 4000 acres of open space, Stanford University and beyond, through mutual and automatic aid agreements with regional jurisdictions. PAFD responds to just under 10,000 calls for service per year. When called upon by the state or federal government, the department also provides fire suppression, medical response, and rescue services for large wildfires and large-scale emergencies and disasters.
About Santa Clara County FireSafe Council:
As a 501 (c)3 nonprofit with a 20-year history, Santa Clara County FireSafe Council’s core mission is to mobilize the people of Santa Clara County to protect their homes, communities, and environment from wildfires. As a trusted partner across the government, fire service, corporate and WUI residential communities, SCCFSC has led some of the most complex hazardous fuel reduction projects in the region. With a board and advisory council that has deep expertise across the wildfire ecosystem including wildfire and environmental research, academia, emergency management, regional planning, technology products and wildland firefighting leadership, Santa Clara County FireSafe Council is uniquely positioned to lead cross-sector collaborations, government-private partnerships in Silicon Valley, Santa Clara County and beyond. For more information, visit www.sccfiresafe.org
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Santa Clara County FireSafe Council
14380 Saratoga Ave
Saratoga, CA 95070
(408) 975-9591
www.sccfiresafe.org
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