Celebrating One Year of the Wildfire Solutions Coalition: Growing a Statewide Movement for Wildfire Resilience
One year ago, a shared idea brought together organizations from across California: solving the state’s wildfire crisis requires more than individual action—it requires a coordinated, statewide effort to secure the long-term investments needed to build wildfire resilience.
Launched in June 2025 by The Nature Conservancy, Sierra Business Council, and the Northern Sierra Partnership, the Wildfire Solutions Coalition was created to translate that vision into action. Today, the Coalition has grown into a statewide alliance of more than 90 organizations representing conservation, business, water, local government, community organizations, philanthropy, and wildfire practitioners from across California. Our diverse organizations are united by a shared mission: by investing proactively in resilience and risk reduction, we can break California’s cycle of catastrophic wildfire.
A Year of Building Momentum
Over the past year, the Coalition has worked to strengthen California’s wildfire resilience movement through collaboration, education, and advocacy.
Together, Coalition members have:
- Grown the Coalition into a statewide alliance of more than 90 organizations
- Hosted the Coalition’s public launch following the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force quarterly meeting
- Convened Coalition members through regional meetings, field tours, webinars, and networking events
- Conducted dozens of meetings with state legislators and decisionmakers
- Hosted a Lobby Day at the Capitol, connecting Coalition members directly with policymakers
- Engaged five gubernatorial candidates to elevate wildfire resilience as a priority for California’s next Governor
- Released statewide polling demonstrating strong bipartisan public support for increased wildfire resilience funding
- Launched the It’s Time to Fund Wildfire Solutions video campaign to educate candidates and the public about the importance of sustained investment
- Advocated successfully in 2025 to protect California’s ongoing investment in wildfire resilience through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund while championing increased Proposition 4 investments
The Power of Partnership
One of the Coalition’s greatest strengths has been bringing together organizations that do not always work side by side but are united by a common commitment to protecting California from catastrophic wildfire.
“Without a doubt, the strength of this Coalition has stood out most during its first year. Every organization is committed to finding solutions and advocating for meaningful progress,” said Caroline Godkin, Executive Director of the California Council of Land Trusts. “The Coalition brings together groups that don’t often find themselves on the same side of issues, and it has been rewarding to work within this bipartisan, collaborative partnership.”
The Association of California Water Agencies echoed the importance of working across sectors. “ACWA joined the Wildfire Solutions Coalition because the cost of inaction is too high. Protecting communities, watersheds, and critical infrastructure from wildfire requires a multifaceted local, statewide, and federal response,” said Julia Hall, Director of State Legislative Relations. “Meaningful progress on wildfire resilience depends on strong statewide partnerships, sustained investment, improved forest management, stronger infrastructure, and healthy ecosystems.”
“From the beginning, the Wildfire Solutions Coalition has recognized that wildfire resilience is both an environmental imperative and an economic one,” said Emily Blackmer, Director of Government Affairs at Sierra Business Council. “Healthy landscapes and safer communities support thriving local economies, strengthen rural resilience, and create lasting benefits for Californians across the state. Over the past year, we’ve seen the power of cross-sector collaboration to elevate wildfire resilience as a statewide priority, and we’re excited to continue building the partnerships and momentum needed to secure long-term solutions.”
These partnerships reflect the Coalition’s founding vision that wildfire resilience is not solely a climate issue. It is a statewide priority that requires collaboration across landscapes, sectors, and communities.
Looking Ahead
While the Coalition has accomplished much in its first year, the work is only beginning.
California now has a growing body of science, an updated Wildfire & Forest Resilience Action Plan, broad public support, and an expanding network of organizations ready to implement proven solutions. The next challenge is ensuring that public investment keeps pace with the scale of the wildfire crisis.
In the coming year, the Coalition will continue working to:
- Secure sustained, long-term funding for wildfire resilience
- Educate California’s next Governor and state leaders on practical funding solutions
- Expand and strengthen our statewide coalition
- Elevate the voices of communities and practitioners implementing resilience projects across California
- Build greater public understanding of why investing in wildfire resilience today saves lives, protects natural resources, and reduces long-term costs
As the California Council of Land Trusts aptly summarized:
“We know what we need to do to address the wildfire crisis. The science is clear, and the state has developed a plan. The missing piece remains reliable, consistent funding that allows progress to be made year after year. Californians support this work. Now it’s up to policymakers to follow through.”
The Wildfire Solutions Coalition was founded on the belief that California can meet this moment through collaboration, sustained investment, and shared leadership. One year later, that belief is stronger than ever.
Thank you to every Coalition member, partner, policymaker, and supporter who has helped build this movement. Together, we are creating a safer, more resilient future for California.