SAN DIEGO -- San Diego received a $1 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to clear brush from city-owned property to protect against wildfire, Mayor Jerry Sanders announced Thursday.

The city is working to clear 600 acres of brush this year and another 600 acres next year, according to Sanders.

"We are doing pretty well," Sanders said at an afternoon news conference at Canyonside Park in Rancho Penasquitos.

"We have 350 out of 600 acres that have been completed," the mayor said. "We've had a good start on that."

The funding was approved by Congress at the request of Rep. Brian Bilbray, R-Carlsbad, who joined Sanders at the news conference.

By clearing brush from city parks, canyons and near residential and commercial areas, the city will "save money in the long run" by avoiding disasters in the future, Bilbray said.

The city previously secured a $2.4 million grant from FEMA for brush management in San Diego to protect against wildfire.

Earlier this year, Sanders said the city plans to spend a total of $6.3 million on brush clearance over the next two years.