Title III -US Forest Service Grant

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Activities such as hazardous fuel reduction or treatments to improve forest health and resilience to wildfire, insect and disease that are recommended in a community wildfire protection plan and benefit national forest lands also may be considered by resource advisory committees for funding under Title II. What activities to carry out community wildfire protection plans may be reimbursed using Title III funds? A county may use Title III funds to carry out community wildfire protection plans (CWPPs), including but not limited to paying for the cost of: • Hazardous fuels reduction projects such as creating fuel breaks outside the home ignition zone, creating water sources for fire -fighting purposes, and establishing a 911 emergency response system. • Wildfire mitigation assessments of the homes in an at -risk neighborhood identified in the CWPP. • Tree removal, tree trimming, or removal of dried grass and brush and other such vegetation identified as contributing to fire risk in the CWPP. • Removing hazardous fuels along powerline rights -of -way identified in the CWPP, regardless of the person or entity responsible for the removal. • Conducting a community volunteer workday focused on implementing fire mitigation measures outlined in a CWPP. What activities may be carried out under the Firewise Communities program? The Act is very specific. Consistent with the Government Accountability Office recommendations, a county's use of Title III funds for Firewise activities must be limited to providing specific wildfire -related education or wildland fire mitigation assistance to homeowners. Specifically, section 302(a)(1) authorizes Title III funds to be spent on Firewise Communities program activities that: 1. educate homeowners in fire -sensitive ecosystems about techniques in siting (positioning or locating) a home, constructing a home, landscaping and maintenance around a home that will decrease the risk of injury or death and decrease the risk of damage or destruction of a home as a result of a wildfire in the area surrounding a home, or 2. assist homeowners in implementing these techniques. Examples of education assistance to homeowners include: • Disseminating Firewise information with door hangers, print or radio advertisements;