Contra Costa–Pinole partnership marks one year as officials urge residents to prepare for wildfire season

Pinole City and Contra Costa County officials on Saturday celebrated the one-year anniversary of their service agreement that reopened a local fire station and used the event to press residents to prepare for wildfire season.

Supervisor Joya, who credited voter approval of Measure X in 2020 for the staffing and mitigation funds, said the county is directing roughly $4.5 million a year toward wildfire prevention programs and recently allocated about $1.5 million more for evacuation-software and related efforts. “Measure X allowed us to reopen this station and put paramedics on the engines so medical response is faster and we stand on the front lines of potential wildfire,” Supervisor Joya said.

Mayor Toms called the town hall both a celebration and a planning moment, noting the city’s participation in the East Bay Hills Wildfire Prevention Coordinating Group, a regional effort among neighboring cities and fire agencies to align model fire codes, vegetation management and evacuation planning. “This partnership benefits the valley and the entire region,” Mayor Toms said.

Fire Chief Lewis Brochard described the county’s role as ambulance operator across much of West County and said the county–city agreement was unusually fast to implement. “We did this in about nine months,” Brochard said, adding that specialized units (HazMat and a Hazards Materials Response Unit) were on display at the open house.

Fire Marshal and Assistant Fire Chief Chris Bachman focused on resident actions: creating defensible space around homes, keeping weeds and seasonal grasses cut to about 3 inches, assembling an emergency go-bag with critical documents and medications, and signing up for the Community Warning System (CWS). “If you haven’t signed up for CWS or checked your evacuation zone in Genesis, do that now,” Bachman said, citing the county’s postcards and online resources.

Presenters outlined Measure X–funded mitigation work available to communities: community chipping days (neighborhood collections of vegetation for chipping and removal), evacuation-route clearance, dead-tree removal, and shaded fuel-break projects. Officials said applications for neighborhood projects are scored by local fire representatives; high-priority work now emphasizes evacuation routes and neighborhood chipping schedules.

County Coordinator Michelle Reinhardt described her role helping neighbors apply for state-funded fire-safe council grants (CalFire funding passed through the California Fire Safe Council), offering multilingual outreach and assisting with project identification. “I can help you enter a project, track it and find funding,” Reinhardt said.

Deputy Chief Aaron Mallister summarized operational readiness: pre-positioning resources during red-flag forecasts, coordination with CalFire and neighboring counties, availability of a nearby type-1 helicopter asset, and the use of Crew 12 for post-fire mop-up so local engines can return to service. Mallister emphasized three resident steps for this year’s season: know your Genesis evacuation zone, subscribe to CWS and create defensible space.

Officials gave specific procedural details: the annual exterior-hazard (weed-abatement) deadline is June 1; because that date fell on a Saturday this year, inspectors will begin June 3. For most properties residents were told to cut weeds and seasonal grasses to about 3 inches or less; parcels of five acres or more require fuel brakes or equivalent measures. Bachman also noted a CalFire-funded shaded fuel-break project (roughly $3 million for about 94 acres) as an example of the scale of county mitigation work.

During a short Q&A, presenters said bilingual brochures and materials are in development, Firewise communities require roughly eight to 10 participating homes (they need not be contiguous), and chipping days require roughly 10 or more participating homes with mapped pickup sites; the county generally tries to follow up within about seven days but may delay if crews are responding to active incidents.

The formal program closed with an invitation to the open house, where residents could see equipment and speak with firefighters and program staff.

Next steps: residents who want funding help or to arrange neighborhood chipping should contact the county coordinator or the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, sign up for the Community Warning System and review the district’s wildfire-preparedness resources online.