City of San José

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

SAN JOSÉ, CA - Today, San José Mayor Sam Liccardo was joined by Josh Fryday, California Volunteers Chief Service Officer, Office of Governor Newsom, Jessica Morse, Deputy Secretary of Natural Resources Agency, Andrea Mackenzie, General Manager, Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, Dorsey Moore, Executive Director, San José Conservation Corps, city staff and volunteers from San José Resilience Corps to perform wildfire fuel reduction work in honor of California’s Climate Action Week and to declare San José’s Climate Action Day. The City and State leaders also celebrated the one-year anniversary of the first-in-the-nation California Climate Action Corps, whose alumni also volunteered at the event. California Governor Gavin Newsom also announced a historic $15 billion package for climate resilience earlier during Climate Action Week. 

 

“San Joséans must do their part in the fight against climate change,” said San José Mayor Sam Liccardo. “The consequences of our changing climate hurt us all, but disproportionately impact many of our most vulnerable residents. Only through our combined efforts can we create a healthier, more resilient city.”

 

Climate challenges directly affect the quality of life of all Californians. San José alone has suffered disruptive flooding events, degraded air quality from massive wildfires, and record-breaking extreme heat events in the last years. Now, in addition to the response needed to address the significant, long-term threat of climate change. Last year, San José partnered with California Climate Action Corps to recruit volunteers and mobilize residents to participate in this call to action to embrace solutions and protect their homes from wildfires. 

 

“As climate change continues to intensify and prolong our fire season in California, we must all take action. Protect your family and community by hardening your home to reduce fire impacts,” said California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday. “We are proud the California Climate Action Corps is partnering with the City of San José for Climate Week to mobilize climate action across the city.” 

 

As California also faces another year ravaged by devastating wildfires, Governor Newsom recently announced a historic $15 billion investment in climate resilience, with over $988 million in funds for projects to reduce wildfire risk and improve the health of forests and wildlands. 

 

“California’s unprecedented $1.5 billion investment in wildfire resilience will surge California’s capacity to keep communities and ecologies safe in the age of megafires,” said Jessica Morse, Deputy Secretary, California Natural Resources Agency. “While wildfire is a reality, catastrophic fires are not. Combating the wildfire crisis requires everyone, from individual homeowners to large landowners, to work together to protect neighborhoods and watersheds. We have the tools to modify fire behavior and return a livable fire ecology to California. The new budget gives us the resources, and collaboratives like this give us the partners to deliver on that goal.”

 

San José State University (SJSU) is also home to a Wildfire Research Center, directed by Dr. Craig Clements, who runs the most advanced fire prediction system in the nation (WRF-SFIRE). WIRC operates the only mobile assets in the United States for wildfire and fire weather monitoring and is listed as a national resource. SJSU has the only mobile Doppler radar in the western United States capable of studying both wildfires and extreme weather.  Ongoing data collection on social impacts and differential community experiences with large fire events during the 2020 fire season.

San José has set the ambitious goal to become one of the world’s first carbon-neutral cities, while simultaneously empowering and improving the lives of our most disadvantaged residents. San José also continues to fight climate change through initiatives like Climate Smart San José, including setting a bold goal of becoming the world's first 1-gigawatt solar city, innovative collaborations with transportation-on-demand companies to increase the adoption of electric vehicles (EV), developing the most comprehensive EV charging network with the highest amount of charging stations per capita in the nation, rolling out a framework for EV micro-mobility that has led to the rollout of thousands of e-bikes and scooters in the city, and San José Clean Energy, which has a near-term goal of offering 100% carbon-free power as a base product, to ensure that our electric homes and vehicles are powered by clean electricity. San José also is participating in the OhmConnect City Challenge, with over 3,000 residents signed up to save electricity during peak summer temperatures using the OhmConnect platform. Their actions will remove the equivalent of 70,000 miles driven by a standard passenger vehicle from the atmosphere. 

 

Earlier this year, the Mayor also launched Resilience Corps, creating more than 500 jobs primarily––but not exclusively––for young adults focusing on five critical tasks of community resilience: pandemic response, environmental resilience, overcoming the learning loss of struggling students, economic recovery, and disaster preparedness.

 

San José also partnered with SAP, the Sharks Foundation, and Santa Clara County FireSafe Council to distribute evacuation bags to low-income residents in the wildfire interface zone mapped out by CalFire for today’s event. 

 

To learn more about how to get involved, visit here. 

BRoll and photos can be found here, and here. 

The press conference can be watched here. 

 

Andrea Mackenzie, General Manager of the Open Space Authority
“Safeguarding and restoring natural areas and open space near urban areas offers a multitude of benefits in the face of the climate crisis. Open spaces protect our communities from wildfires, clean our air and water, protect our biodiversity and increase the resilience of our communities.” 

 

Councilmember Magdalena Carrasco, D5
“Just a year ago, I had my van packed with my family’s most precious memories and important documents. My kiddos were on high alert, ready to grab our doggies and evacuate. As climate change continues to devastate our planet, the realities of fire evacuations become that much more commonplace. My residents, many of which border fire evacuation zones, need to be connected to resources and support that will prepare them for rapid evacuation and a safe return to their homes.”

 

Robert Sapien, Jr., San José Fire Chief
“Wildfires have impacted everyone across the State in recent years and there’s no sign this will relent. Reducing the risk of wildfire taking hold in your neighborhood starts with protecting your property through fuel mitigation efforts such as clearing dead vegetation and trimming back trees around your home. Increasing your wildfire preparedness is also critical – create an evacuation plan and emergency preparedness kit so you can leave quickly when the Order comes.”

 

Dorsey Moore, Executive Director, San José Conversation Corps
“The Resilience Corps will change the life trajectory of hundreds of San José young adults, providing them a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lift themselves and their families out of poverty by making our community cleaner, safer and more climate-resilient. We are incredibly grateful for Mayor Liccardo's brilliant vision to create the San José Resilience Corps. No other big-city mayor in the US has invested more to enable young adults to fulfill their potential through community service.”

 

Kerrie Romanow, Director of Environmental Services
“I encourage all residents and businesses to participate in Climate Smart San José — climate change impacts all of us,” said Kerrie Romanow, City of San José sustainability officer and Environmental Services director. “By partnering together we can create a better future.”

 

Jon Cicirelli, Director of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Department
“As we reach 150 years for the oldest municipal park in California, it is important for us to protect, preserve and promote Alum Rock Park as an essential outdoor space. We are grateful for the partners, volunteers, and park rangers who keep our parks safe and enjoyable for generations to come.”

 

Jonathan Becher, President of the San José Sharks
“For more than 25 years, the Sharks Foundation has provided assistance and aid to those in our community who need it most and at times when it’s imperative that they receive it. We are proud to, once again, partner with SAP as well as the Santa Clara County FireSafe Council County FireSafe Council to fund the production of 200 “Go Bags” which will provide immediate help and support to those who may require and could possibly save lives during a fire emergency.”

 

Anamarie Huerta Franc, Managing Director, SAP Labs US
“We at SAP value being part of the Silicon Valley community and believe in the importance of supporting the people and community in which we work and live. Being prepared during wildfire season is a reality we must all face in California, so we are proud to partner with the Sharks Foundation and the SCC FireSafe Council to provide resources to families to stay safe and ready in a moment’s notice.”

 

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With more than one million residents, San José comprises the 10th largest city in the United States, and one of its most diverse cities.  San José’s transformation into a global innovation center in the heart of Silicon Valley has resulted in the world's greatest concentration of technology talent and development.