The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Forestry - Fire Program, working in coordination with the U.S. Forest Service, has grant funds available for Iowa’s rural fire departments to help battle wildfires.
Applications are due November 2. The grant provides 50 percent reimbursement for wildland fire equipment with a maximum reimbursement grant of $4,500 per department. Over $1.5 million have been awarded since 2021 and approximately $270,000 is anticipated to be distributed this year.
The grant offers funding assistance for Wildland PPE such as Nomex pants, shirts or coveralls; wildland specific tools or equipment such as bladder bags, swatters, drip torches, etc.; slide-in units; hoses; nozzles; adapters; portable tanks and pumps; and communications equipment. Additionally, if a fire department has a special need that can be tied directly to wildfire suppression, this grant allows for such special requests. Structural fire specific items are not allowed.
Grant information, rules, and the application are available online at www.iowadnr.gov/fire.