Oakland, Calif. – September 22, 2026 -- The California Fire Foundation (CFF), backed by The PG&E Corporation Foundation, has distributed $1 million in wildfire safety grants to 75 fire departments, fire agencies and nonprofits across Northern and Central California.
PG&E Foundation adds $50,000 to expand ninth annual grant round
The PG&E Foundation committed an additional $50,000 this year to enhance the program, which marks the ninth consecutive year of partnership between CFF and the foundation. CFF reviewed more than 200 submissions during a month-long application window before selecting recipients in high wildfire-risk areas, with awards timed to National Preparedness Month.
Grants fund protective gear, vegetation management and fuel reduction across 36 counties
Projects supported this cycle will benefit 4.2 million residents in 36 counties. Funding covers more than 2,000 pieces of personal protective equipment -- including helmets, boots, gloves, goggles and fire shelters -- and over 600 units of specialized equipment such as water tanks, portable radios and chainsaws. Additional funds will finance over 80 acres of vegetation thinning, hundreds of prescribed burns and pile burns, and multiple fuel-break and evacuation-route projects.
Total 2026 charitable commitment reaches $1.8 million under Wildfire Safety and Preparedness Program
The Wildfire Safety Grants represent $1 million of a broader $1.8 million in 2026 charitable funding that PG&E and the PG&E Foundation are directing to CFF's Wildfire Safety and Preparedness Program (WSPP). The remaining funds support multilingual public safety education campaigns in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese and Hmong, including radio, television, digital and billboard advertising in high fire-threat regions. Grant targeting is guided by the California Public Utilities Commission's High Fire-Threat District map.
Program funding has reached $12.25 million since inception, with 505 grantees since 2018
Since 2018, 505 grantees statewide have received $6.5 million in direct grant funding through the program, with application volume rising each year. PG&E and the PG&E Foundation have contributed $12.25 million in total support for fire safety awareness through the WSPP since the partnership began, with more than half directed to community-based grants. The company noted the charitable contribution is shareholder-funded and not paid for by PG&E customers.
"California's firefighters and local agencies work every day to protect lives, homes and communities from a wildfire threat that does not follow a traditional season," said Darrell Roberts, Chair of the California Fire Foundation.