TL/DR –
The Biden-Harris Administration is investing nearly $500 million into the USDA Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy to reduce wildfire risks, with total investment in the strategy reaching $2.4 billion. About $400 million will be allocated to ongoing efforts on 21 priority landscapes with an additional $100 million going to a new program, the Collaborative Wildfire Risk Reduction Program, to expand work outside these landscapes. These efforts are part of the President’s Investing in America agenda to increase resilience to wildfires, support federal wildland firefighters, reduce catastrophic wildfire risks across states, and support the wildland firefighter workforce.
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 20, 2024
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the Biden-Harris Administration is investing nearly $500 million from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to support the USDA Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy. These funds will reduce wildfire risk, protect communities, and safeguard the natural resources.
This brings the total investment to an historic $2.4 billion. The announcement advances the National Climate Resilience Framework to facilitate comprehensive resilience strategies.
About $400 million funds will be directed to the 21 designated priority landscapes identified in the strategy, making the total investment $1.6 billion. An additional $100 million will be allocated under a new program by the Forest Service – the Collaborative Wildfire Risk Reduction Program – for areas outside priority landscapes.
This program will use funds to treat high-risk wildfire areas outside priority landscapes, specifically where national forests and grasslands meet homes and communities, known as the Wildland-Urban Interface. It allows collaboration with Tribes, communities and partners in 24 states, for projects to reduce wildfire risk. Details about the qualifying states and eligible areas, projects can be found at the program webpage.
These investments are part of President Biden’s agenda to increase resilience of lands and support federal wildland firefighters. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided $1.4 billion to reduce wildfire risk. The Inflation Reduction Act added $1.8 billion to this effort. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
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