Funds will be distributed to volunteer fire departments throughout michigan in cost share grants and to purchase repair parts to rehab equipment and site visits

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources received a $5.09M Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service under the Cooperative Forestry Assistance program (CFDA 10.664), awarded on August 28, 2025, with a completion date of September 30, 2029. The grant funds a comprehensive forest health and wildfire management initiative across Michigan, encompassing cost-share grants to volunteer fire departments for equipment rehabilitation and site visits, development and dissemination of urban forestry best management guidelines and resources to landowners and community partners, and provision of wildfire prevention, training, and suppression support including procurement of supplies, materials, wildfire safety gear, and suppression hardware.

Additional deliverables include reconstruction of a burn permit system and modernization of two electronic fire danger signs on major state freeways, as well as forest pest detection, identification, and evaluation activities to assess population trends of damaging pests and monitor the impacts of biotic and abiotic agents on tree species and forest sites of concern. These activities support the Cooperative Forestry Assistance program's broader mission to promote healthy forests and resilient rural communities through collaborative partnerships with private landowners, fire departments, and local stakeholders on Michigan's non-federal forest lands.

Promote, share and or develop urban forestry best management guidelines and resources with communities and partners. To help landowners manage, protect and enjoy their forest. Funding will be used to assist with prevention, support, training, and suppression as well as procurement of supplies, materials, wildfire safety gear, small items, and hardware used in wildfire suppression. Rebuild of a burn permit system and updating two electronic fire danger signs on major freeways. Funds will be used to detect, identify, and evaluate population trends of pests known to cause serious damage; the impact of biotic or abiotic agents and the cause of health problems on tree species or sites of concern.