‘Resilient Napa’ summit to address wildfire threats, watershed restoration
What can be done to mitigate the risk of Napa County’s changing climate?
Speakers at the fourth annual Napa Climate Summit set for March 26 at Napa Valley College are scheduled to provide some answers. The event will highlight projects under way in Napa County designed to mitigate wildfire risks, restore watersheds to protect neighborhoods from flooding and other effects of climate change.
The free symposium, “Resilient Napa,” is sponsored by Napa Climate Now! and Napa Valley College. About 200 to 300 people are expected, including urban and rural landowners, students and business proprietors.
Students will be able to meet with organizations such as Rising Sun, which connects young people to climate careers and other environmental jobs. There will also be interactive exhibits and refreshments. Wines produced by Napa Valley College’s bonded winery will be available.
“There is something for everyone,” said Chris Benz, co-founder of Napa Climate Now! – a chapter of 350 Bay Area.
Scheduled speakers include Napa Firewise, Napa County Resource Conservation District and Pacific Gas and Electric Co. representatives.
Joe Nordlinger, Napa Firewise CEO, will introduce the Valley Stewards Initiative, a public-private program designed to mitigate wildfire risks. Napa Firewise launched the wildfire resilience program in 2025 with Cal Fire and $2.5 million from private donors such as wineries, grape growers and others.
Under the Valley Stewards program, Napa Firewise works with large landowners whose lands are in strategic locations important to firefighting – ridge tops, small ridge lines or saddles. They map road access, areas where fuel reduction has taken place, pools, ponds, reservoirs and water storage systems.
Then they integrate these maps into the incident management system firefighters use. These mapped properties receive an “enhanced resilience site” designation, Nordlinger explained.
Property owners also receive guidance and suggestions on how to maintain their land to reduce wildfire risks and protect the community. A fund has been set up to help landowners who do not have the cash to make these investments, according to Firewise.
Wineries and other property owners have continued to struggle to secure insurance policies, wine industry trade groups and other organizations have repeatedly said.
One of the Valley Stewards’ goals is reducing these “enhanced resilience site” properties’ insurance premiums or have property owners obtain regular insurance instead of the FAIR Plan, Nordlinger said.
The FAIR Plan is an insurance pool that provides basic coverage to property owners unable to find private insurance. These policies’ premiums have continued to climb as more properties have been unable to secure private insurance coverage, according to news reports.
Napa County Resource Conservation District’s staff will present its watershed programs. That includes the restoration of more than 170 acres of wetlands and floodplains in the Suscol and Huichica creek watersheds. Napa RCD will also introduce its Napa River Watershed Group.
Other speakers include PG&E representatives who will give an update on its efforts to underground its power lines. They will also discuss the Calistoga Resiliency Center, which opened last summer.
The $28 million hydrogen-fueled, cell-powered macro grid system was designed to keep lights on in Calistoga during public safety power shut-offs.
Napa Climate Now! was founded in 2015. It counts about 25 active members. The volunteers undertake various projects from teaching school students about composting and recycling to speaking in support of the city of Napa’s forestry management plan.
The Napa Climate Summit: Resilient Napa is March 26 from 3 to 6 p.m. at Napa Valley College’s Performing Arts Center in Napa. Napa Climate Now! will cover parking costs. To park free of charge, obtain a validation number and instructions at the symposium.
For more information visit https://napa.350bayarea.org/event/2026-napa-climate-summit-resiliency/
