DNR Fire District Assistance Program
The purpose of these programs is to provide local and rural fire districts in Washington State opportunities to establish, develop, improve, and maintain their wildland firefighting capabilities. Improving the capabilities of local districts helps defend Washington against wildfire.
These programs can make several types of training, equipment, and other assistance more affordable to local fire districts.
NOTE: Programs use available funds and resources which may vary from year to year.
Wildland Fire Training
DNR sponsors this wildland fire training in partnership with Wenatchee Valley College and with support from the U.S. Department of Interior.
Through this program your fire district may be eligible for:
- Wildland firefighting courses taught in your community at no cost after meeting requirements and with a minimum registration of 15 students.
- Instruction by qualified instructors.
Fire protection districts and departments that are not eligible may still register students but must pay a modest tuition.
As an incentive to help rural fire districts attract new recruits, DNR will provide a set of Nomex shirt and pants and hardhat for the first 200 recruits who join an eligible district after December and pass the final Firefighter 2 exam.
Opportunties for this training may be available to fire protection districts and departments in Washington State that:
- Have volunteer members.
- Serve communities with a population of 10,000 or fewer residents.
- Border on or include a Department of Interior agency (Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, US Fish & Wildlife Service) within its protection area OR currently have a Wildland Fire Response Agreement with a Department of Interior agency.
Wildland Fire Assistance Grants
Administered by DNR through funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, this grant program provides a 50 percent match for purchases of personal protective equipment and general equipment.
The Wildland Fire Assistance Grant Program* is administered in two phases annually:
- Phase I – Personal protective equipment (PPE) can be acquired from the first Monday of March until the last Friday in April. Find the latest prices and offerings in the Phase I PPE Shopping Cart.
- Phase II – General Equipment Grant Program is open from the first Monday in September and to the last Friday in October. Call 360-902-1300 for details.
* Grants may not be available every year.
Opportunties for these grants may be available to fire protection districts and departments in Washington State that:
- Respond to wildland fire on private, state, or federal lands.
- Serve communities with a population of 10,000 or fewer residents.
- Serve a community of more than 10,000 residents AND a service area that includes a rural community of fewer than 10,000 residents.
Rural Fire Assistance Grants*
Administered by DNR with funding from the U.S. Department of Interior, this program helps rural fire districts and departments meet basic needs for equipment, training, and fire prevention through a 10 percent match.
Opportunties for this training may be available to fire protection districts and departments in Washington State that:
- Protect rural, wildland-urban interface communities (where homes are built in forested or sparsely populated areas).
- Play a substantial cooperative role in protecting federal lands.
- Have fire protection agreements with the Department of the Interior or the State of Washington.
- Serve communities with a population of 10,000 or fewer residents.
Call 360-902-1300 for details and open registration periods.
*Grants may not be available every year.
Firefighter Property Program*
This program helps fire protection districts and fire departments get fire engines and fire tenders (vehicles that bring water, foam, or dry chemicals to fire trucks in the field) suitable for low-cost conversion to wildland use. Fire districts receive the title to the property. Districts may have to pay the expense of transporting the vehicle from an out-of-state location (about two-thirds of the vehicles located through this program come from other states).
Opportunties to obtain equipment through this program may be available to fire protection districts and fire departments in Washington that:
- Agree put the vehicle in service within a year of taking possession.
- Are willing to assist DNR in protecting Washington wildlands from wildfire.
*This program replaces the Federal Excess Property Program (FEPP) in Washington State.
Federal Excess Property Program (FEPP)
DNR maintains semi-annual inventories of equipment currently on loan to fire districts and helps dispose of FEPP equipment when fire districts are done with it. DNR no longer assigns equipment to fire districts under this program. For assistance, contact the DNR Fire District Assistance Coordinator at 360-902-1306.
Questions or comments?
fepp_assist@dnr.wa.gov