On October 23, 2019, the Kincade Fire ignited northeast of Geyserville, burning nearly 78,000 acres of land and destroying 174 homes. As with the fires of 2017, Ag + Open Space has an integral role to play in the recovery and long-term resiliency of our entire community, with a specific focus on the conservation and ongoing stewardship of our natural and working lands. In addition to providing local food, clean drinking water, increased biodiversity, and natural beauty, these protected lands also form an important buffer around our communities that can reduce the impacts of fires, floods, and other extreme events. The agency remains committed to managing its own lands to ensure ecosystem health and to reduce the risk and intensity of wildfires, and will work with easement landowners to support them in doing the same.
Assessment of Our Protected Lands
Approximately 14,000 acres of Ag + Open Space-protected land were directly affected by the fires — double the acreage of our protected land affected in the 2017 Sonoma Complex Fires. Five conservation easements located in the Mayacamas Mountains and on the outskirts of Healdsburg and Windsor burned completely, while portions of two additional conservation easements were impacted by the fire. In addition to reaching out to easement landowners to offer support and share resources, Ag + Open Space staff will soon be conducting visits to protected properties in the burned areas to assess damages.
Landowner Resources
We will be updating resources and new opportunities become available. Please feel free to reach out to us directly if you have any questions.
- Natural Resources Conservation Service post-fire assistance, publications, and resources – NRCS Post-Fire Assistance
- Sonoma Resource Conservation District post-fire assistance, publications, and resources – Sonoma RCD Post-Fire Assistance
- UC Cooperative Extension, Sonoma County Disaster Resources — UC Cooperative Extension
- Farm Service Agency Disaster Assistance Programs – FSA Disaster Assistance Programs
- Official recovery page for Sonoma County – SoCoEmergency.org
