State And Private Forestry

Intermountain and Northern Regions

State Fire Assistance Program

The State Fire Assistance Program provides financial and technical support directly to the states, to enhance firefighting capacity, support community-based hazard mitigation, and expand outreach and education to homeowners and communities concerning fire prevention.  The program requires a 50-50 match by the state.  The delivery system is through the State Forester.

As a result of the National Fire Plan and the Healthy Forest Restoration Act, the hazardous fuels reduction component is a major part of the State Fire Assistance Program.  The hazardous fuels application and selection process is managed by the Western States Fire Managers.  The hazardous fuels component, along with most other fuels mitigation funds provided by federal agencies and the state is coordinated through a collaborative inter-agency effort.

Benefits:

• Complements federal firefighting forces to optimize fire protection across ownerships
• Complements hazardous mitigation efforts across ownerships to reduce risk to communities
• Enhances local fire protection entities capability and capacity (training, equipment, preparedness, and education)
• Engagement of communities and homeowner to be able to recognize interface fire hazards and provide them with opportunities to develop local solutions
• Provides a fire protection training link to volunteer fire departments

Key Partners

Primary

• State Foresters

Secondary

• State Emergency Management Agencies
• State Fire Marshals
• Other Federal Agencies
• Grazing Associations (in ND)
• Tribes
• Rural Fire Departments
• Resource Conservation & Development Councils

Opportunities for National Forests and Grasslands

• Coordinate fire prevention, pre-suppression, hazard mitigation and suppression activities with State Foresters and local cooperators
• Provide training opportunities for local fire departments and mutually assist each other in wildland suppression activities.
• Work locally with communities and cooperators to identify opportunities to work with each other, especially in the wildland urban interface

Program Coordinator for ID, MT, NV, ND, UT

For further assistance contact Cathy Scofield or Julie Campbell