California investing a total of $120 million to protect kids from extreme heat on playgrounds

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KION-TV)- School yards throughout the state of California will be transformed in the near future.

On Thursday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that $73 million from CAL FIRE will help replace asphalt in schools with green spaces, trees and vegetation.

According to Newsom's office, replacing green spaces with asphalt will provide protection against extreme heat for students.

In July, CAL FIRE provided schools with $47 million which has now totaled the funding to $120 million.

"You can cook an egg on the asphalt of schools in certain parts of our state," Newsom said in a statement. "These projects will use nature to cool our schools and make it safer for kids to be active outside.”

The Green Schoolyard Grant program help schools convert pavement to green spaces and create drought-tolerant natural areas on school grounds.

CAL FIRE says that adding trees at schools will remove air pollution and provide mental health benefits for students.

The program is part of Newsom's extreme heat action plan which is backed by the $52.3 billion Climate Commitment Budget.