Beyond the Valley: Cal Fire grants, pet disaster relief trailers, and SMART train discounts

Cal Fire resilience grants

Cal Fire will hold a webinar and three out-of-area workshops about the 2020 Wildfire Resilience and Forestry Assistance Grant funded by Proposition 68.

The webinar and workshops will cover grant opportunities for counties, resource conservation districts, and nonprofit organizations that have the capacity to deliver a forestry based technical and financial assistance program to non-industrial forest landowners.

The funds are for projects that provide ecological restoration of forests, or activities for forestland already affected by fire or disease, and will promote forest resilience.

Pet disaster relief trailers in Sonoma County

Sonoma County is a step closer to preparedness now that it is in receipt of a trailer equipped to help keep pets and owners together during disasters.

AKC Reunite and local dog clubs presented an emergency trailer to Sonoma County Animal Services.

The trailers are equipped to handle at least 65 pets with a safe, short-term home base for the first 72 hours of an emergency, such as the fires of 2019 and 2017.

During evacuations, pets and owners can get separated, and the trailers provide a place for people to bring their pets while they secure temporary living arrangements.

The trailers are equipped with animal care services and items such as crates and carriers, microchips and microchip scanners, bowls, collars and leashes. They also have a generator, lighting, fans, cleaning and maintenance supplies.

SMART offers discount to low-income riders

SMART officials approved a discount fare policy to low-income riders at a board meeting last week.

Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District (SMART) board of directors approved a policy that will give a 50 percent train ride discount to qualified riders. It will submit a request to participate in Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s Clipper START low income fare program.