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Costs Associated with Tree Maintenance Completing the tree maintenance recommendations in this section incurs a cost in both dollars and effort. It is highly recommended that an ISA-certified and experienced tree service perform tree maintenance activities on all but the smallest trees or simplest maintenance activities due to the risk to personal safety and the effort involved in disposing of a large volume of cut woody debris. Costs to perform the recommended tree maintenance activities vary based on the tree(s) size and location. Funding Opportunities Funding is available to local government agencies and non-profit organizations to perform wildfire risk reduction work in the WUI area, including tree trimming and removal, mainly through grants. There are fewer opportunities for individual property owners and HOAs. However, individual property owners and HOAs can find opportunities for funding and assistance through their local firewise community or fire safe council. Diablo Fire Safe Council represents the Pleasanton area and has a cost-share program, which is described below. CAL FIRE Wildfire Prevention Grants: CAL FIRE’s Wildfire Prevention (WP) Grants Program provides funding for wildfire prevention projects and activities in and near wildfire-threatened communities that focus on increasing the protection of people, structures, and communities. Funded activities include Hazardous Fuels Reduction, Wildfire Prevention Planning, and Wildfire Prevention Education, emphasizing improving public health and safety while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The WP Grants Program funds three types of activities: Hazardous Fuels Reduction, Wildfire Prevention Planning, and Wildfire Prevention Education (CAL FIRE, 2023). Hazardous fuel reduction is the most relevant to the UFMP of these three activities. Hazardous fuel reduction grant funds can be used for the following activities. • Creation or maintenance of fuel breaks in strategic locations, as identified in CAL FIRE Unit Fire Plans, a Community Wildfire Protection Plan, or similar strategic planning document • Removal of ladder fuels to reduce the risk of crown fires • Creation of community-level wildfire prevention programs, such as community chipping days, roadside chipping, and green waste bin programs • Selective tree removal (thinning) to improve forest health to withstand wildfire • Modification of vegetation adjacent to roads to improve public safety for egress of evacuating residents and ingress of responding emergency personnel • Reduction of fuel loading around critical infrastructure to maintain continuity of government and other critical services • Purchase of fuel modification equipment not to exceed a cumulative total of $750,000. Equipment is an item of $5,000 or more per unit cost and has a tangible useful life of more than one year • Supplies include items under $5,000 per unit cost. Chainsaws are an example of a supply item and are not considered equipment • Projects to improve compliance with defensible space requirements as required by Public Resources Code Section 4291 (Projects eligible for CCI funds are low-income, disabled, or elderly households per CA requirements) 23