The Department of the Interior announced nearly $1.3 million in awards as part of the Slip-on Tanker Pilot Program, aimed at strengthening wildfire response efforts in small, rural communities.
As reported by The National Interagency Fire Center, the funding is intended to help local governments convert existing vehicles into wildland fire engines.
The initiative, authorized by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is part of broader efforts to address increasing wildfire risks due to climate change, drought, and other environmental challenges.
Secretary Deb Haaland emphasized the program’s importance, stating: “As the nation contends with devastating wildfires, the Interior Department is furthering our commitment to support local interagency partners as we work collectively to better prepare for and address these dangers.”
The funds were awarded to 21 local emergency response agencies across 10 states, with the goal of enhancing their ability to respond to wildfires quickly.
These communities are identified as having a moderate to high risk of wildfire, according to the Wildfire Risk to Communities tool.
Agencies serving populations of 25,000 or fewer were eligible to apply for grants ranging from $10,000 to $200,000.
The Slip-on Tanker Pilot Program is part of a larger initiative supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has provided nearly $1.1 billion since its passage to reduce wildfire risks and support federal firefighting resources.
A key focus of this program is improving coordination between the Department of the Interior, state governments, and local communities.
This aligns with the recommendations of the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission, which released its final report in September 2023.
The Commission was tasked with developing strategies to improve federal wildfire policies, including prevention, suppression, and overall management of wildland fires.
Secretary Haaland highlighted the importance of this collaboration: “Many of our state and local partners are the first to respond when wildfires ignite near their communities.
“This pilot program… is bolstering their ability to respond quickly when a wildfire starts.”
The Department of the Interior has also confirmed that a second round of funding through the Slip-on Tanker Pilot Program will be announced later this year.
The details for the next round of applications are expected to be published in the Federal Register this fall, allowing more local agencies to apply for funding to enhance their wildfire response capacities.
The Slip-on Tanker Pilot Program is one of several initiatives under the Investing in America agenda, which focuses on modernizing infrastructure and enhancing community resilience in the face of natural disasters, including wildfires.
The Department of the Interior has awarded $1.3 million in grants to 21 local emergency response agencies across 10 U.S. states to support wildfire response efforts.
The funding, authorized by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is part of the Slip-on Tanker Pilot Program, which aims to help smaller communities convert vehicles into wildland fire engines.
Secretary Deb Haaland emphasized the critical role of local partners in wildfire response.
The program is designed to strengthen coordination between federal, state, and local agencies and aligns with recommendations from the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission.
A second round of grants is expected in fall 2024.
