(Des Moines) Nearly $350,000 in 50 percent cost-share grants were recently awarded to 105 Iowa rural fire departments to help their efforts to protect Iowan’s and their property from wildfires.
The grants offer valuable funding assistance for wildfire suppression, personal protective and communications equipment. Requests were received from 180 fire departments totaling over $565,000 in requests, showing a great need across rural Iowa.
Since 2021, more than 500 grants have been awarded resulting in an investment of more than $1,612,000 in wildland fire preparedness throughout the state.
The following southwest Iowa fire departments will receive 2025 Volunteer Fire Assistance grants: Anita, Atlantic, Avoca, Creston, Glenwood, Harlan, Logan, Oakland, Prescott, Shelby, Shenandoah, Sidney, Woodbine and Yale.
These grants are made possible through Iowa DNR Forestry, in cooperation with US Forest Service – State and Private Forestry.
Jason Walker, fire supervisor with DNR Forestry, reminds all fire departments of the importance of submitting Wildland Fire Reports whenever they respond to a wildland fire or provide assistance to a prescribed or controlled wildland fire.
Departments returning these reports receive priority points when the Fire Assistance grant applications are scored. These wildland fire reports are compiled locally and nationally and are reported to Congress.
