Federal wildfire crews are stretched thin. California is stepping in to help

California’s last operational nuclear power plant, Diablo Canyon, sits amidst a terrain that would alarm any firefighter when wind gusts approach. The Pacific Ocean and its consistent fog caress the western flank of the coastal bluffs safeguarding the facility. However, the Irish Hills loom steeply to its east, their slopes jagged and verdant with scrub and oak.

Hard to reach, and teeming with combustible material, the area is designated as a high fire severity zone. Dave Erickson, a division chief and forester with the Cal Fire San Luis Obispo unit, expressed concern, stating, “Any fire within the Diablo power plant area could be catastrophic,” and emphasized the need for precaution.

The nuclear plant exemplifies one of the numerous locations where California is now filling the voids left by prolonged federal neglect. Congress’ long-term underinvestment in fuel management on federal lands, the Trump administration’s reductions in resources, and the relentless spread of wildfires across the West have contributed to this issue.

In response, the San Luis Obispo County Community Fire Safe Council, a local organization with state funding, initiated the creation of a fuel break in the surrounding ridgelines. Additionally, Erickson mobilized his crews to seal the gaps, establishing a vital entry point for firefighters to preempt the flames.

Historically, the mix of landowners surrounding the power plant — encompassing the U.S. Bureau of Land Management — could have hindered Erickson’s efforts. Nevertheless, a 2023 agreement between Cal Fire and the bureau facilitated the utilization of state resources on federal land to accomplish the fuel break earlier this year. Philip Oviatt, a spokesperson for the Bureau of Land Management California, confirmed in an email to CalMatters that “the project was conceived from the outset as an interagency endeavor.” Oviatt explained, “No single agency could have achieved this outcome independently.”