EDWA Joins Wildfire Solutions Coalition to Secure Long-Term Fire Prevention Funding by El Dorado Water Agency Sep 4, 2025 Member Submitted News EL DORADO HILLS – El Dorado Water Agency (EDWA) is pleased to announce that it has joined the Wildfire Solutions Coalition, an alliance of cross-sector leaders and organizations collaborating throughout the state to secure long-term, sustained funding for wildfire mitigation and resilience and fully implement California’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan. For decades, California has invested heavily in firefighting and underinvested in wildfire prevention and mitigation. Compared with the costs of catastrophic wildfire, investments to reduce wildfire risk are extremely cost-effective. Wildfires cost California $117 billion every year in economic losses on average. In contrast, investments to avoid wildfire disasters can save $6 for every $1 invested. In addition, EDWA’s research quantified the monetary impact recent wildfires had on the upper American River watershed (UARW). Our research found that the Caldor and Mosquito fires in El Dorado County created $14.7 billion in damages to the ecosystem goods and services in the UARW. Natural capital damages occurred due to the loss and degradation of ecosystems from the wildfires and the economic impacts from the associated increase in carbon emissions. These devastating consequences reach far beyond the watershed because the UARW is a critical headwater for statewide water supply that fuels the fifth largest economy in the world. “Securing funding and resources for wildfire prevention is critically important, especially in rural areas like El Dorado County that have experienced recent wildfire devastation,” said Rebecca Guo, General Manager of EDWA. “We are looking forward to working with the coalition partners to increase understanding that wildfire is a statewide crisis that demands a long-term solution.” Wildfires are a natural part of many California landscapes. But due to several factors, including fire suppression, land management practices, and climate change, the intensity and frequency of wildfires have reached dangerous levels. With better preparation and management, landscapes and communities can once again experience fire as a natural and beneficial process. The Wildfire Solutions Coalition is calling for a dedicated, long-term funding mechanism to support proven fire prevention strategies at scale, including: Forest and vegetation management Community hardening and defensible space Workforce development and job creation Tribal-led cultural burning and stewardship Science-based planning and monitoring Locally, EDWA is advocating for funding to support forest management projects in the upper American River watershed including fuels management (e.g., tree thinning), post-wildland fire restoration (e.g., clearing dead fuels and replanting), meadow restoration, and prescribed burning. More information can be found at El Dorado Water Agency and the Wildfire Solutions Coalition.
