Communities that have limited resources and face high risk from wildfire are getting additional support from the US Forest Service.
In an announcement made this week, 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. A total of 22 projects were funded across Oregon and Washington.
In Southern Oregon, the funded proposals include $250,000 to the Josephine County Emergency Management Director, $191,700 to the City of Grants Pass and $249,959 to the Applegate Partnership & Watershed Council.
Funding from the Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program is designed to assist communities with planning for and mitigating wildfire risks, and for 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.
