The Napa County Board of Supervisors has renewed a contract agreement with Cal Fire to bolster fire response. Totaling $38 million, the renewal is the largest services contract the county has ever made.
Effective from the start of this month to June 30, 2035, the agreement will expand fire personnel in the Napa County Fire Department so it can be operational year-round. The department will add another battalion chief, bringing the total number to three, along with six full-time firefighters and five seasonal firefighters.
“This agreement paves the way for enhanced integrated fire services in the county,” said Belia Ramos, chair of the Napa County Board of Supervisors after the June 27 vote. “We highly value the long-standing and trusted partnership between Napa County and Cal Fire, and we are confident that this investment will significantly improve our ability to protect the community.”
“[W]e are confident that this investment will significantly improve our ability to protect the community.”
Supervisor Belia Ramos
The county will also appoint a fire administrator, who will facilitate collaboration and efficiency among the county, Cal Fire, and the Napa Communities Firewise Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing wildfire risks in Napa County.
Napa County has a long-standing partnership with Cal Fire, dating back to 1932, to safeguard the community from potential disasters. The state agency manages the Napa County Fire Department, which includes seven professional fire stations and 14 volunteer stations.
“The additional staffing will mean more personnel to respond to incidents,” said Mike Marcucci, unit and fire chief for the Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit and Napa County Fire Department. “Furthermore, the staffing increase will help fortify the state-county relationship, enabling us to expand our fuel mitigation efforts, which are crucial to reducing fire risk.”