Memorandum
Date: June 23, 2026
To: The Honorable Brad Rasmussen, Chair, Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: Jessica Pyska, Supervisor, District 5
Brad Rasmussen, Supervisor, District 4
Subject: Consideration and Review of Adopting California’s Joint Strategy for Sustainable Outdoor Recreation & Wildfire Resilience as a Guiding Document for Resource Protection, Community Investment, Economic Development, and Public Safety
Executive Summary:
Lake County, like many communities and regions in rural Northern California, has an economic model that relies on recreation, tourism, and the natural environment. These vital natural resources and the infrastructure that supports them are under pressure from both overutilization and the looming threat of catastrophic wildfires.
While great progress is being made toward wildfire and landscape resilience through federal, Tribal, State, and Local investments, Tribal and Local governments face the daunting challenge of planning for community well-being and for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery while working with numerous Local, State, Tribal, and federal agencies and jurisdictions and considering impacts on both residents and visitors. Given the current and anticipated wildfire risk in Lake County and California, recovery from catastrophic fire might not be feasible without taking a new planning approach that better aligns risk mitigation for both wildfire and outdoor recreation.
“California’s Joint Strategy for Sustainable Outdoor Recreation & Wildfire Resilience” provides a playbook for that new planning approach. The California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force published the Strategy in March 2023. It includes four goals and a number of key actions intended to help guide Local government actions in aligning landscape resilience efforts for wildfire and recreation management. By adopting this Strategy, the County of Lake would join other local governments and special districts in recognizing the value of our public lands and the important role they play for our communities, constituents, and visitors.
Adopting this plan could enhance eligibility to receive State funding from grant programs through Proposition 4 and federal funding through the reauthorization of the Great American Outdoors Act, which provide funding for wildfire prevention, recreation infrastructure and programming, and the protection of communities and natural lands from climate risks.
The joint strategy consists of four goals with a number of specific key actions to address the effects of climate change and the threat of wildfire on sustainable outdoor recreation infrastructure and programs that drive economic activity:
1. Integrate Forest Health and Sustainable Outdoor Recreation
2. Advance Inclusion and Access for All Throughout California
3. Promote the Health and Wellbeing of All Californians through Outdoor Recreation
4. Support Economies that Enhance Sustainable Outdoor Recreation
The attached joint strategy includes a number of key actions under each of these stated goals. While some of these goals may not have a direct tie to the efforts of the County of Lake the complete program is a comprehensive effort to address these impacts across the state. As these strategies are implemented by other municipalities, there will be opportunities to combine efforts across jurisdictions where our areas of interest intersect. Staff will look to integrate these strategies into our destination management strategies, planning efforts, and capital improvement projects.
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Recommended Action: Review and adopt “California’s Joint Strategy for Sustainable Outdoor Recreation & Wildfire Resilience,” as published by The California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force in March of 2023, as a guiding document for resource protection, community investment, economic development, and public safety.