Texas awarded $39 million to prepare for wildfires

The state of Texas received $38.8 million from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Forest Service to establish programs, buy equipment, train personnel and develop protection plans to mitigate wildfire risk.

The USDA’s Forest Service will deliver the funds through the Community Wildfire Defense Program (CWDP) – an initiative designed to help vulnerable communities and Tribes plan for and lower wildfire risk. The USDA recently delivered $250 million across 158 projects to develop community wildfire protection plans (CCWP) and remove overgrown vegetation that can fuel fires.

Jasper County will receive $10.2 million to support the Jasper County Fuels Mitigation Program. The funds will ensure the county can buy equipment to clear vegetation along roads, removing a fuel source that would aggravate wildfires. Plans include creating fire breaks and helping wildfire professionals educate and support high-risk property owners to implement wildfire risk and mitigation efforts. Jasper County will also develop a CCWP.

Jefferson County will use $9.6 million for its Fuels Mitigation Program. Plans include buying equipment, clearing vegetation along roads and hiring technical specialists to help property owners understand and prepare for wildfires. In addition, the county will develop a CWPP to reduce wildfire risk and build resiliency.

The city of Cisco will spend $9.1 million to establish the Joint Fuels Mitigation Program. The program will mitigate wildfire fuels for several low-income communities in Eastland County. Plans include employing specialists to create educational initiatives, buy equipment to establish firebreaks and reduce fuel loads around high-risk infrastructure and structures.

Eastland County will receive $9.1 million for its CWDP implementation project. The county will create an urgent hazardous fuels mitigation program with equipment, training and personnel. Plans include clearing vegetation along roads, training county personnel on how to mitigate wildfires and hire specialists to educate homeowners and assess property. Trained specialists will also help homeowners create defensible space and deploy impactful wildfire mitigation measures. The county will use a portion of the funds to develop a CWPP.

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