Butte Fire Safe I FRB

The Butte Fire Safe I Forest Resilience Bond (FRB) is a collaborative project designed to protect communities, critical infrastructure, and natural resources in Butte County, California. Developed in partnership with the Butte County Fire Safe Council (BCFSC), Blue Forest, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), and CAL FIRE, this FRB focuses on privately- and state-owned wildland-urban interface (WUI) areas, where homes and forests meet. It aims to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and safeguard some of the last remaining unburned landscapes in the county.  

We respectfully acknowledge the homelands of the Maidu and Konkow peoples. These lands have always been, and will always remain, connected to their families, ancestors, and ways of life. Out of respect, we recognize all of the Tribal Nations connected to this place—without distinction between federal or state recognition—including the Berry Creek Rancheria of Maidu Indians, Enterprise Rancheria of Maidu Indians, Mooretown Rancheria of Maidu Indians, Pakan’yani Maidu of Strawberry Valley, and the Konkow Valley Band of Maidu Indians. We honor the deep and lasting relationship these communities have with the land and waters, and we offer this acknowledgment in the spirit of respect and responsibility.

Since 2018, around 52% of the WUI in Butte County has burned, and with wildfires growing in size and intensity, proactive and strategic restoration is essential to protect what remains. In July 2024, the Park Fire became the fourth-largest wildfire in California history; however, it stalled around Choasset. Fuel reduction treatments previously implemented by BCFSC slowed the fire’s spread, giving firefighters critical time to save lives, homes, and infrastructure. This experience highlights the impact of proactive forest restoration. The Butte Fire Safe I FRB builds on these proven results, expanding treatments to reduce wildfire risk across a broader landscape and prevent future catastrophe. 

The project focuses on high-risk zones and ridgelines near Paradise, Forest Ranch, and Lake Oroville, implementing a suite of treatments to restore ecosystem health and reduce fuel loads, including:

• Forest thinning to reduce wildfire intensity

• Oak woodland restoration to improve biodiversity and resilience

• Prescribed burning to restore natural fire cycles

• Hazard tree removal and other post-fire recovery work

In addition, BCFSC is partnering with Berry Creek Rancheria tribal crews, integrating Indigenous knowledge and practices while creating local workforce development opportunities. 

The FRB’s no-cost financing allows BCFSC to maintain timely contractor payments without tying up its reserve capital, bridging the gaps created by slow grant reimbursement cycles and letting BCFSC use its capital to invest and grow. Combining private capital with public funding creates a multiplier effect, allowing treatments to be completed across more acres, at a faster pace, while building the long-term financial stability needed to protect communities and surrounding landscapes well into the future.

Wildfire mitigation is about more than forest health—it’s about protecting lives, livelihoods, and landscapes. The Butte Fire Safe I FRB demonstrates what’s possible when mission-driven investors, local organizations, utilities, and public agencies work together to proactively reduce wildfire risk and build long-term resilience.