The East Mountains area will receive more than $7.2 million in federal funding for wildfire risk reduction under a new U.S. Forest Service grant program announced last week.
The Ciudad Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded $7,233,574 through the Community Wildfire Defense Grant program to implement the East Mountains Community Wildfire Protection Project, according to a Forest Service news release.
The project will focus on high-priority fuel reduction initiatives in and around wildland-urban interface areas and high-risk communities in the East Mountains, which have faced increased wildfire threats in recent years.
“The intent of the project is to protect the east mountains from high-intensity fires, foster fire-adapted ecosystems, and improve community and forest resiliency,” according to the Forest Service announcement.
The funding is part of a broader $200 million investment in 58 wildfire protection projects across 22 states and two tribes.
“These grants are about putting resources in the hands of those that know their lands and communities best, so that they can better protect their families, businesses, infrastructure and the future of our shared landscape,” Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in the release.
The Community Wildfire Defense Grant program represents a $1 billion investment over five years to assist at-risk communities with planning for and mitigating wildfire risks on non-federal lands.
Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz emphasized the collaborative nature of the effort.
“No single organization can tackle the severe fire conditions we face today,” Schultz said. “It is imperative that we work together to protect our forest and communities.”
The Forest Service plans to announce a fourth funding opportunity later this year.
