USDA Invests in 58 Community Projects to Reduce Wildfire Risk

Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the USDA Forest Service is investing $200 million in 58 projects through the Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program. These investments, thanks to Congressionally mandated funding, help at-risk communities plan for and reduce wildfire risk, protecting homes, businesses, and infrastructure.

"These grants are about putting real resources directly in the hands of the people who know their lands and communities best - America's foresters. By empowering them, we are protecting homes, businesses, and infrastructure while securing the future of our great American landscape," said Secretary Brooke Rollins. "Keeping forests healthy, resilient, and productive doesn't come from Washington. It comes from us standing alongside the people and communities we serve, and supporting practical, science-based management that ensures the future of the forests and rural prosperity. This is how we safeguard our heritage, protect future generations, and ensure that America's land remains the envy of the world."

"No single organization can address the severe wildfire threats we face today. It is imperative that we work together to protect our forests and communities," said Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz. "For those communities that already have plans in place, these investments will enable immediate, collaborative action to reduce wildfire risk."

The selected projects span 22 states and two tribes, supporting efforts to develop or update their community wildfire protection plans (PDF, 5.4 MB) and carry out projects to remove hazardous or overgrown vegetation that can fuel fires that threaten lives, livelihoods and resources.

In total, the program is investing $1 billion over five years to assist at-risk communities, including tribal communities, nonprofit organizations, state forestry agencies and Alaska Native Corporations with planning for and mitigating wildfire risks on lands not managed by federal agencies.

The Forest Service will announce a fourth funding opportunity later this year.

Background on the Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program

The Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program helps communities in the wildland-urban interface maintain resilient landscapes, create fire-adapted communities, and ensure safe, effective wildfire response - all goals of the unifying National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy.

The Forest Service worked with tribes and states through an interagency working group to develop the Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program. Grant proposals undergo a competitive selection process that includes review panels made up of state forestry agencies, tribal representatives, and other partners. The proposals prioritize at-risk communities that have been impacted by a severe disaster, are at a high or very high potential for wildfire hazard and are classified as low income.

More information about the funded proposals, as well as announcements about the grant program, is available on the Community Wildfire Defense Grants website.