Local governments, nonprofits and tribes face an Oct. 31 deadline to apply for a Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service.
The funds, administered through the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR), help communities and tribes reduce the impact of wildfires.
According to a DNR news release, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) awarded $25 million to 14 Washington projects earlier this year.
The USFS could fund as much as $250 million in projects in this round of funding.
“I was so thrilled to see the success our partners across Washington had in getting projects funded during the initial wave of applications,” said Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz. “These grants can help bolster safety and potentially save lives and valuable property. To not take advantage of this exciting opportunity for transformational projects on our most at-risk forestlands would be like leaving money on the table.”
DNR staff will hold virtual informational sessions on the grant funding every Monday from 2:30-3:30 p.m. through Oct. 30. For more information, go to https://www.dnr.wa.gov/publications/rp_fire_cwsf_cwdg_nofo_instructions.pdf.
