Colorado counties to receive $9.5 million in grant funding to help reduce the risks of wildfires across the state

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (KRDO) – The Colorado State Forest Service is awarding $9.5 million to local governments across 16 Colorado counties to help reduce the risks of wildfires. 

According to the Colorado State Forest Service, in its first year, the Incentives for Local Government (ILG) grant program will fund 28 forest management and wildlife projects around the state. 

This funding round will treat about 7,500 acres of land as well as support jobs dedicated to implementing wildfire mitigation measures and educating private landowners throughout these counties. 

The ILG grant program was created by the Colorado Legislature in 2022 and projects often target forest management or wildfire mitigation efforts at a local level, such as fuel breaks, forest thinning, wildfire fuels reduction, and outreach and education efforts. 

Colorado State Forest Service states any funding awarded under this program must match either revenues raised by the local government from a dedicated revenue source or supplement existing forest management or wildfire mitigation programs administered by the local government on a long-term basis.

This means the state can fund up to 50 or 75 percent of the costs of each awarded project. Meanwhile, grant recipients are required to match at least 50 or 25 percent of the total project cost. 

This funding round resulted in $8.7 million in matching funds, so this grant program makes $18.2 million available for these important projects.

The Colorado State Forest Service stated they received 36 applications totaling nearly $15.4 million for the ILG grant program in 2023. 

After the review process, 28 projects in 16 counties received the $9.5 million that were allocated for this program. 

To learn more about the applications and funded projects you can visit the Colorado State Forest Service website by clicking here.