VALLEJO, Calif. — The USDA Forest Service is accepting applications for the new Community Wildfire Defense Grant, or CWDG, program until Oct. 7, 2022.

While there are many initiatives on reducing wildfire risk to federal lands, the CWDG program is focused on non-federal lands and will provide funding to communities, Indian tribes, state forestry agencies, and nonprofit organizations that will be critical partners in helping communities reduce their wildfire risk and become more fire adapted.  

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law authorized the CWDG program with an investment of $1 billion over five years, starting in Fiscal Year 2022, with about $160 million allotted for its first year.

The program's primary purpose is to develop and revise Community Wildfire Protection Plans and implement projects described in those plans.

The Act prioritizes at-risk communities in an area identified as having high or very high wildfire hazard potential, are low-income, and/or have been impacted by a severe disaster.

The CWDG helps communities in the wildland urban interface implement the three goals of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy:

• Restore and maintain Landscapes: Landscapes across all jurisdictions are resilient to fire-related disturbances, in accordance with management objectives.
• Create fire adapted communities: Human populations and infrastructure can better withstand a wildfire without loss of life and property.
• Improve wildfire response: All jurisdictions participate in making and implementing safe, effective, efficient risk-based wildfire management decisions.

More information and applications are available at the Community Wildfire Defense Grants webpage, and questions can be referred to Barb Geringer at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 202-577-4827.