This project will assist in addressing critical emerging and ongoing wildland fire prevention, mitigation, and resilience issues across the western united states

The Council of Western State Foresters received a $150,000 Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, Region 2 – Rocky Mountain Region, under the State & Private Forestry Cooperative Fire Assistance program (CFDA 10.698), effective September 4, 2025, through September 2, 2030. This award supports critical wildland fire prevention, mitigation, and resilience initiatives across the western United States by fostering collaborative fire and hazardous fuels mitigation planning and facilitating information development among state forestry agencies, fire agencies, and the USDA Forest Service.

The primary deliverables under this award include managing the comprehensive review and selection process for Western Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) grants, ensuring transparency and consistency in prioritizing wildfire mitigation and hazardous fuels reduction projects within WUI zones. Through this work, the awardee will enhance coordination and alignment among state forestry and fire agencies across the western region, enabling these entities to be better informed and strategically coordinated with each other and external partners in addressing emerging and ongoing wildfire challenges on non-federal lands.

In addition to fostering of collaborative fire and hazardous fuels mitigation planning and related information development, this project will manage the review and selection process for western wildland urban interface grants, ensuring transparency and consistency in prioritizing wildfire mitigation and hazardous fuels reduction projects within the wildland urban interface. This work will enable state forestry and fire agencies and the USDA forest service across the west to be better informed and more strongly aligned with one another and with partners.