USDA is funding up to $250 million in projects to help local communities plan for wildfires and alleviate their impacts, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Monday.
Individual grants up to $250,000 are available to develop and update community wildfire protection plans, with up to $10 million available for associated wildfire resilience projects, USDA said in a news release. It’s the second year of the program, which is funded by the bipartisan infrastructure law enacted in 2021. Nearly $200 million was awarded earlier this year to 99 project proposals in 22 states and to seven tribes.
Vilsack made today’s announcement in Portland, Oregon, “alongside partners who are beneficiaries of USDA investments to tackle the growing wildfire crisis, support climate resilience and invest in rural communities,” USDA said.
A USDA official said the Community Wildfire Defense Grant program is one aspect of “a historic $8.25 billion investment through the gipartisan infrastructure law for wildfire management through various programs aimed at reducing wildfire risks, detecting wildfires, and instituting firefighter workforce reforms and landmark pay increases for federal wildland firefighters, all so the people on the frontlines have the support they need and deserve.”
“The Forest Service is working with community-based organizations in historically underserved populations and tribes at high risk of wildfire to provide equitable access to this funding opportunity,” USDA said in its release. “These organizations will build awareness of the funding opportunity and assist in the application process. Building capacity through targeted training will allow these communities to conduct this work independently in the future.”
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“The projects directly support the Forest Service’s 10-year strategy to treat up to 20 million acres of national forests and grasslands and 30 million acres of other federal, state, tribal and private lands to reduce wildfire risk to communities, infrastructure and natural resources,” the department said.
“The nation is becoming increasingly aware of wildfire mitigation at state and local levels, but this awareness comes as a result of rampant devastation, particularly to our underserved communities,” said Kacey KC, Nevada state forester and president of the National Association of State Foresters. “Because wildfire mitigation is extensive, complex and ever evolving, these grants are critical in ensuring success. As state foresters, we're deeply appreciative of this assistance to our mission.”
Thirty-three projects in California were funded earlier this year, including $9.8 million to reduce wildfire risk in Lake County and $10 million for the Tuolumne County Community Wildfire Defense Project.
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