Logo courtesy of Be Ready Butte campaign

OROVILLE, CA (MPG) - The Butte County Board of Supervisors on Sept. 9 voted to reject a proposed $940,944 contract with Blue Flamingo, the Chico public relations firm Cal Fire selected to lead three more years of wildfire education efforts under the county’s “Be Ready Butte” campaign. 

The funding, awarded through a $1 million Community Development Block Grant, was intended to expand outreach on defensible space, evacuation planning, and fire prevention resources countywide. 

Cal Fire Butte County Chief Garret Sjolund presented the proposal, highlighting the campaign’s success since its launch in 2023. “Be Ready Butte” is a wildfire preparedness initiative led by Cal Fire and the Butte County Fire Safe Council. It equips residents with tools, education, and defensible space strategies to reduce wildfire risk and plan safe evacuations across Butte County.

Sjolund, citing previous measurable outcomes - including a 74% survival rate of inspected home in the Park Fire - said the expanded campaign will involve a countywide education and outreach campaign to engage property owners throughout Butte County in preventing the spread of fire by clearing defensible space on their property.

“This grant would build upon the work already done and expand it to the entire county,” Sjolund said. “Hiring a professional PR firm aids in the campaign's execution and reduces our and our partner agencies’ administrative tasks. While we are focused on wildfire preparedness, defensible space, and evacuations, we understand the need to provide education to residents and landowners on the available resources to get the work done.” 

While Sjolund emphasized the administrative relief the professional PR firm could offer, supervisors expressed concern about outsourcing the campaign’s next phase. 

Supervisor Doug Teeter voiced interest in reopening the Request for Proposals process to allow the Butte County Fire Safe Council, a long-standing local partner, to submit a proposal.

The Fire Safe Council has previously collaborated on “Be Ready Butte” efforts, including education on chipper programs, fire-safe landscaping, Firewise community development, and school-based fire safety outreach. 

Reopening the RFP process would allow the Fire Safe Council to expand its role and potentially manage the campaign directly. 

“I think this fits right in with the Fire Safe Council,” said Teeter, who has been involved with the organization for over two decades. “They are already deeply ingrained in the community.” 

Sjolund acknowledged the board’s shift in direction, noting that the department had already discussed additional collaboration with the Fire Safe Council.

After a motion to approve the Blue Flamingo contract failed to gain momentum, the board voted 4-1 to reopen their request for proposals, hoping the Fire Safe Council would consider taking on the fire protection and prevention project.

The scope includes producing educational materials such as videos, printed guides, and radio segments, tracking campaign performance through media impressions and compliance rates, and managing logistics to reduce administrative burden on county departments. This approach was intended to streamline execution while maintaining consistent public engagement across fire-prone communities, Sjolund said. 

The revised RFP is expected to be released later this fall, with the goal of selecting a lead agency that can build on the campaign’s momentum while deepening community engagement.