Forest Service announces $50 million in grants to Oregon, Washington communities for efforts to reduce wildfire risk
PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Communities that have limited resources and face high risk from wildfire are getting additional support from the USDA Forest Service. In an announcement made Tuesday, Oregon will receive more than $24 million and Washington will receive more than $26.6 million in Community Wildfire Defense grant awards.
These grants are part of more than $250 million being invested in 158 projects across 31 States, two Territories and 11 Tribes.
“The Biden-Harris administration is putting historic resources into efforts to confront the wildfire crisis, which is threatening people, communities and resources across the nation,” said Deputy Agriculture Secretary Xochitl Torres Small. “The Community Wildfire Defense Grants are just one of many ways we are helping communities adapt to larger, more complex and more frequent wildfires.”
A total of 22 projects were funded across Oregon and Washington.
“The Forest Service is proud to partner with local communities through these vital grants,” said Jacque Buchanan, Regional Forester for the Pacific Northwest Region of the Forest Service. “These grants empower communities to implement strategic wildfire mitigation projects, enhancing both their resilience and safety. By supporting initiatives like defensible space creation, fuel reduction, and community education, we are working together to safeguard lives, property, and our precious natural resources.”
In Oregon, more than $24 million in projects are being funded. The funded proposals are:
| Name | Project Title | Award Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wasco County | Partnering on Wildfire Mitigation | $5,945,663 |
| Wallowa Resources | Union County Firewise Community Resiliency Project | $1,372,153 |
| Wallowa Resources | Baker Firewise Community Resiliency Project | $579,672 |
| City of Condon | City of Condon Fuel Breaks | $137,719 |
| Firebrand Resiliency Collective | Community Building, Education and Implementation for Rogue Valley | $1,465,295 |
| Walker Range Forest Protection Association | Walker Range FPA | $2,740,305 |
| North Gilliam County Rural Fire Protection District | Gilliam County Fuel Breaks | $55,049 |
| Josephine County Emergency Management Director | Josephine County CWPP | $250,000 |
| South Willamette Solutions | Oakridge-Westfir Fire-Adapted Community | $1,173,823 |
| Community Services Consortium | Enhancing Landscape Resiliency, Public Safety and Community Fire-adaptation in Santiam Canyon | $4,935,486 |
| Midstate Electric Coop, Inc. (MEC) | Midstate Electric Coop - Lake County | $4,966,618 |
| City of Grants Pass | City of Grants Pass CWPP | $191,700 |
| Applegate Partnership & Watershed Council | Applegate Fire Plan | $249,959 |
In Washington, more than $26.6 million in projects are being funded. The funded proposals are:
| Name | Project Title | Award Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management | Snohomish County CWPP | $250,000 |
| Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission | Riverside State Park Fuel Reduction | $750,000 |
| Grant County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Management | Grant County CWPP | $155,000 |
| Inland Power and Light | Inland Wildfire Fuel Reduction | $9,846,359 |
| Mt. Adams Resource Stewards | Mt. Adams Prescribed Fire Capacity Project | $5,372,601 |
| Ferry County | The Ferry County Resilient Landscapes and Responders Project | $10,000,000 |
| Washington Resource Conservation and Development Council | Kittitas County CWPP | $148,500 |
| Ferry County | Ferry County CWPP Update | $86,667 |
| Franklin County Emergency Management (FCEM) | Franklin County CWPP | $65,000 |
For descriptions of each funded proposal and more information, please visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/fire/grants/funded-proposals
Funding from the Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program is designed to assist communities, including Tribal communities, non-profit organizations, state forestry agencies and Alaska Native Corporations with planning for and mitigating wildfire risks to communities and critical infrastructure to help confront the nation’s wildfire crisis. The funding supports developing or revising Community Wildfire Protection Plans as well as completing projects that are identified in these plans. The program is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and includes $1 billion to reduce wildfire risk over five years.
For more information about the Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region please visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/r6.
