Cal Fire official reports active South Monterey County wildfire; $30 million fuels‑reduction grants open to community groups

Cal Fire representative Josh Silveira said May 20 that firefighters were responding to an active wildfire near Arroyo Seco Road in the Sycamore Flat area of South Monterey County and that local and state resources are engaged.

"We currently are engaged in a wildfire in South Monterey County off of Arroyo Seco Road in the area Sycamore Flat," Silveira said, adding that Cal Fire requested a local Type 3 strike team because many resources have been moved to Ventura, Kern and Santa Barbara counties.

The briefing also covered a Cal Fire fuels‑reduction grant program with $30 million available for projects. Silveira said initial project concepts must be submitted by June 30 for review; projects selected to advance will be evaluated in a second phase that looks at size, scope, how a proposal fits local and regional fire plans, and ecosystem benefits.

Silveira described the grant program’s intended applicants. "The grant program isn't aimed at the individual homeowner. It is aimed at Firewise communities, homeowners associations, things that are going to help us with our fuels reduction region‑wide," he said, stressing the program favors community‑scale, scalable projects that can tie into existing fuels work.

Silveira also urged resident preparedness as weather warms. He said the unit has a goal of keeping most fires small and noted operational success in keeping 95 percent of incidents at 10 acres or less. He offered practical holiday‑weekend precautions: ensure trailer chains do not drag and create sparks; barbecue only in designated pits or rings; discard ashes and charcoal safely; maintain defensible space and year‑round home hardening; and have evacuation plans and supplies when hiking in remote areas such as Big Sur.

Applications and details for the grant program are available through Cal Fire’s grant portal, Silveira said. He recommended that Fire Safe Councils, homeowners associations and Firewise communities check the Cal Fire guidance for eligibility and application steps.

The Cal Fire remarks were part of a Monterey County news briefing on May 20, which also included Memorial Day programming and a county resource fair announcement.