Our Programs
Our parent non-profit organization is Rebuild NorthBay Foundation (RNBF).
In partnership with the five Resource Conservation Districts (RCDs) of Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake, and Napa counties and Clear Lake Environmental Research Center, is offering the North Bay Forest Improvement Program to forest landowners across the four-county North Bay region. This pilot program is made possible thanks to $5M in funding via a CALFIRE Wildfire Resilience and Forestry Assistance grant. Read more about this program.
Program News
Calif. wildfire survivors offer Boulder County advice
LOUISVILLE, Colo (KDVR) — A group of California wildfire survivors spent time in Boulder County this week, offering tips and advice to those impacted by the Marshall Fire. Jennifer Gray Thompson created “After The Fire” following devastating fires in her community in 2017. “The truth is, until you go through it, it is the unimaginable,”…
When Entire Areas Disappear, How To Recover With Resilience
It was 15 years ago, in May 2007, that an EF5 tornado barreled through the 1,300-person city of Greensburg, Kansas. In just 15 minutes, give or take, 12 people were killed and 95 percent of the town was obliterated, according to Stacy Barnes, who grew up in the town and is now its administrator. “We…
Sonoma Group Forged in Tubbs Fire Helping Other Wildfire Victims Cope
Amid the crumpled, twisted remains of the Plumas County town of Greenville, few people stirred, other than the constant caravans of disaster response teams driving through what had until recently been a picturesque Gold Rush town. Against the sprawling devastation, Jennifer Gray Thompson stood out, calmly snapping photos of a scene that seemed startling, yet…
California fire survivors helping Oregon fire survivors
The hope is that as fire survivors help each other they will create a network to help future fire survivors. GATES, Oregon — Wildfire recovery continues to happen across Oregon. While the road is a long one, communities ravaged by fire are banding together to help each other. On Tuesday, a group of people toured…
California nonprofit brings wildfire recovery experience to Santiam Canyon
Wildfire in 2020 left damage all throughout the Santiam Canyon east of Salem. (Ron Cooper/Salem Reporter) Over the next few years, a Northern California-based nonprofit will work to get local officials and organizations connected with grant funds to aid survivors of the 2020 Santiam Canyon wildfires. Jennifer Gray Thompson, CEO of After the Fire, spent…
What Is It Like To Evacuate from a Megafire and What Happens After the Fire?
TWIN BRIDGES, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 30: A chairlift at Sierra-at Tahoe ski resort sits idle as the Caldor Fire moves through the area on August 30, 2021 in Twin Bridges, California. The Caldor Fire has burned over 165,000 acres, destroyed over 650 structures and is currently 13 percent contained. (Justin Sullivan via Getty Images)) Packing…
Sonoma Valley Leaders launching effort to ensure all residents are Food Secure during COVID-19 pandemic
Leaders in Sonoma Valley have joined together to launch a broad-based coalition to ensure all Sonoma Valley residents are food secure during the COVID-19 pandemic and shelter-in-place order. The goal of the new Sonoma Valley Food Security Task Force is to bring together Valley leaders to work collaboratively to mitigate the challenges faced by our…
Dealing with Future Wildfires: New North Bay Organizations Helping to Prepare
Rincon Valley firefighters rest in the archway and against the fireplace of a home on Wikiup Drive in Santa Rosa after the Tubbs firestorm swept through Oct. 8 and 9. These firefighters were first on the scene and had been on the job for four days when these photos were taken Oct. 12. ON OCTOBER…
Hopper Walls Project Dedication — August 24th
Coffey Strong, in partnership with AshBritt Environmental and Rebuild NorthBay Foundation, is pleased to announce the completion of the Hopper Walls Project. A dedication will take place on Saturday, August 24th at 10am @ Coffey Lane and Hopper Avenue, at the northeast corner. Santa Rosa Mayor Tom Schwedhelm noted, “This project is symbolic of our…
Pride, resiliency, and bagpipes — Jennifer Thompson on the post-fire rebuild
Two years ago, in the tumultuous aftermath of the devastating wildfires, the Rebuild NorthBay Foundation was formed, with Jennifer Gray Thompson as executive director. The Sonoma native had previously been an assistant to Supervisor Susan Gorin. Suddenly, with the backing of developer/lobbyist Darius Anderson and other influential figures, she was tasked with getting to work on short-term…
How California Wine Country Is Fighting Back Against Wildfires
Sonoma and Napa are bracing themselves for a difficult fire season with an arsenal of techniques, from innovative building practices to new city ordinances. On the afternoon of Saturday, June 8, 2019, residents of Sonoma and Napa saw the first ominous sign of the wildfire season: Plumes from the Sand Fire in the county directly to…
Ashes to Action: Rebuilding After the Tubbs Fire
When the Tubbs Fire — one of over a dozen Northern California blazes that burned for weeks in October 2017 — was finally fully contained on October 31, the damage was hard to quantify. In total, the Tubbs Fire burned more than 5,600 structures and nearly 37,000 acres of land. In Santa Rosa alone, over 2,800 homes…