Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) announced that $1 billion in wildfire prevention funding she helped secure in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is now available to Nevada communities seeking to plan for and mitigate wildfire risks.
“I fought for funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill to help Nevada communities prepare for and defend themselves from devastating wildfires,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I want to make sure these funds get to Nevada communities that need them, and I encourage local and Tribal governments to apply and help Nevadans stay safe.”
Individual grants will fund up to $250,000 to create and update community wildfire protection plans or conduct outreach and education and up to $10 million for associated infrastructure and resilience projects. Local and Tribal governments are encouraged to conduct planning exercises to assist their communities with wildfire preparedness, response and adaptation efforts. Projects must be completed within five years of the award, and the number of projects selected will be determined by available funding, which is $200 million annually.
The Community Wildfire Defense Grant program is based on legislation initially cosponsored in the Senate by Senator Cortez Masto and later included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
More information and applications are available at the Community Wildfire Defense Grants webpage. A webinar for applicants in Western states and territories will be held on August 8, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT.
Senator Cortez Masto has routinely worked to invest in wildfire prevention and support for those affected by fires. In the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, she helped secure over $3.4 billion for wildfire prevention, suppression, and restoration activities, including these funds. Just last year, she introduced the Western Wildfire Support Act, which would allow communities across Nevada and the Western U.S. to invest in training, equipment, and funding to combat wild and rangeland fires. Senator Cortez Masto has hosted regular conversations to help coordinate wildfire response, including a first-of-its kind wildfire summit in 2019 to allow firefighters, ranchers, conservationists, scientists, power companies, and representatives of government agencies to find new ways to coordinate and collaborate.
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