The cross boundary wildfire hazard mitigation on non-federal lands program funds hazardous fuel reduction and mitigation activities close to national forest lands to reduce the undesired effects of…

The Arkansas Forestry Commission received a $215,000 Project Grant award dated August 7, 2025, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, Region 8 (Southern Region), under the State & Private Forestry Hazardous Fuel Reduction Program (CFDA 10.697). The award supports implementation of the Cross Boundary Wildfire Hazard Mitigation on Non-Federal Lands Program through August 6, 2030. Under this award, the Commission will conduct hazardous fuel reduction and mitigation activities on non-federal forestlands, woodlands, shrublands, and grasslands in Arkansas, with a focus on areas adjacent to National Forest System lands. Funded activities will reduce the volume and intensity of hazardous fuels to mitigate the risk of large, destructive wildfires affecting both federal and non-federal resources.

The program supports landscape-scale fuel management treatments including mechanical thinning, vegetation management, and related forest restoration activities designed to create fire-adapted landscapes and reduce catastrophic wildfire risk in the wildland-urban interface and neighboring National Forest lands. By implementing these hazardous fuel reduction projects on non-federal lands that provide protective benefits to adjacent federal forest resources, the Arkansas Forestry Commission will contribute to the USDA Forest Service's broader wildfire mitigation and landscape resilience objectives across the Southern Region.

The cross boundary wildfire hazard mitigation on non-federal lands program funds hazardous fuel reduction and mitigation activities close to national forest lands to reduce the undesired effects of large, destructive wildfires by reducing the volume of hazardous fuels on forests, woodlands, shrublands, and grasslands.