Saratoga Receives State Funding To Combat Wildfires

SARATOGA, CA — Saratoga is among five South Bay communities that will share $7 million in funding towards wildfire prevention and emergency preparedness in the West Valley.

Assemblymember Evan Low (D-San Jose) and Congressmember Anna Eshoo (D-Palo Alto) helped request the money from the Assembly Budget Committee following the 2020 Northern California wildfires. The funding was secured in the state’s recently-passed budget.

Saratoga, along with neighboring Monte Sereno, Campbell, Cupertino and Los Gatos, will receive the funding.

Low, Eshoo and officials from the Santa Clara County Fire Department gathered at the Los Gatos Fiesta de Artes on Saturday to announce the funding.

“While each of our communities has their own unique character and challenges, our lives are deeply interconnected, especially in times of crisis, which is why I’m so thankful for the regional coalition that came together to make this budget investment possible,” Low said.

The funding is expected to support the business community and modernize the county’s emergency operation and police department operation centers, according to a news release by Low’s office. It will create the Wildland Fire Specialist Program, a pilot program intended to create defensive spaces in the West Valley communities.

“It’s very rare at an event where we ask our community members to spend money and then we get news that Los Gatos and the West Valley cities are getting close to $7 million in return for our elected officials,” Los Gatos Mayor Marico Sayoc said.

The funds will also provide economic incentives to modernize structures in areas deemed to be Wildland Urban Interface areas, along with funding a one-time Business Continuity and Resilience program to assist businesses in emergency planning.

“With roughly half of Saratoga designated at risk for wildfire, managing wildfire risk is one of our greatest concerns,” Saratoga Mayor Yan Zhao said. “While we’ve made great strides, there is always more work to be done.”