DATE:
January 13, 2026
09
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
Title
STRENGTHENING FIRE PREPAREDNESS WHILE PROTECTING TAXPAYER DOLLARS (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
San Diego County Fire (County Fire) delivers around-the-clock fire protection and emergency services across 1.5 million acres, operating twenty-two fire stations in one of the most fire-prone regions in California.i Over the past decade, County Fire has made major investments to strengthen fire protection and improve readiness, and will continue to prioritize fire preparedness as wildfire seasons grow longer, hotter, and more severe.ii
Fire stations and training facilities are critical public safety infrastructure, shaping response times, operational readiness, and the health and safety of firefighters who live and work inside them. Many County fire stations were inherited decades ago and need to be renovated or replaced to meet current safety and operational needs. In recent years, County Fire invested over $45 million to modernize fire stations across the region, including Boulevard, Pine Valley, Mt. Laguna, Palomar Mountain, and East Otay Mesa.
At the same time, delivering fire infrastructure has become more challenging.
* The cost of constructing new fire stations has increased sharply, driven by a 48% rise in construction costs since the pandemiciii and compounded by recent federal tariff policies. The County responded by anticipating and budgeting for above average construction price increases but initial estimates on recent projects have still come in high.
* The cost of fire trucks and other critical equipment has doubled in recent years,iv placing added pressure on County Fire's budget.
* Federal disinvestment in wildfire prevention and preparedness, including recent cuts to the U.S. Forest Servicev and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrationvi has weakened fire preparedness, increasing risk across the region and raising the stakes for local fire operations.
* Federal c...
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