PLACERVILLE, Calif. — El Dorado County officials and the El Dorado County Fire Safe Council signed a new agreement Thursday aimed at strengthening wildfire preparedness and improving coordination across West Slope communities.
County Interim Chief Administrative Officer Sue Phillips and Ken Pimlott, chairperson of the El Dorado County Fire Safe Council, formally executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on March 5 that establishes a framework for collaboration between county officials and the nonprofit organization focused on wildfire mitigation.
The agreement connects the county’s Office of Wildfire Preparedness and Resilience with the Fire Safe Council to expand programs that reduce wildfire risk, including public education, defensible space initiatives, and home-hardening efforts.
“Today’s signing reflects our shared commitment to protecting El Dorado County’s communities and natural resources,” Phillips said in a statement released by the county. “By formalizing this partnership, we strengthen our coordinated efforts to reduce wildfire risk and build long-term resilience.”
The MOU outlines shared responsibilities that support implementation of the West Slope Community Wildfire Protection Plan, a strategic roadmap designed to reduce wildfire hazards across the region.
Under the agreement, the county will continue supporting Fire Safe Council programs and incorporate the organization into county-level wildfire preparedness working groups. The county will also coordinate GIS mapping resources and include the Fire Safe Council in updates and presentations to the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors.
In return, the Fire Safe Council will serve as a standing member of the county’s Wildfire Preparedness and Resilience Coordination Group, participate in assessor training programs, assist with community events, and provide defensible-space assessment data to support planning and risk reduction.
Pimlott said the agreement strengthens a relationship that has existed for years between local government and volunteer wildfire prevention groups.
“This agreement strengthens the long-standing partnership between the County and the El Dorado County Fire Safe Council and supports the work our volunteers and partners do every day,” Pimlott said. “Together we are improving community safety and building fire-adapted neighborhoods across the West Slope.”
Wildfire preparedness remains a central concern for El Dorado County residents following multiple destructive wildfire seasons across Northern California over the past decade. Local officials have increasingly focused on coordinated mitigation strategies, including vegetation management, defensible space enforcement, evacuation planning and public education.
More information about wildfire preparedness and county programs is available through the county’s Office of Wildfire Preparedness and Resilience website and the El Dorado County Fire Safe Council at:
County officials say the strengthened partnership is intended to help residents prepare before the next fire season arrives.
