Release No. 0038.01![](media/image1.png){width="6.497222222222222in"
height="0.5694444444444444in"}

Joe Walsh (202) 205-1134

Martha Abrams (202) 720-3310

**USDA RELEASES \$118 MILLION FOR COMMUNITY FIRE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS**

WASHINGTON, March 1, 2001-- Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today
announced the release of \$118 million for community fire assistance
programs. The funds will support USDA Forest Service's National Fire
Plan, which was developed to reduce the impact of wildfires on natural
resources and communities.

"The funds are important for protecting lives and property from the
threat of severe wildfires," said Veneman. " We look forward to working
collaboratively with communities and our state and federal partners to
deliver these programs."

The funds will be used for state fire assistance programs; forest health
management to reduce fire risks and prevent and control invasive
species; and economic action programs that guide community planning,
technology assistance, and resource based enterprise development. The
funds will also support community and private land fire assistance
programs, which are designed to mitigate fire hazards in rural and
wildland/urban interface communities.

In addition to community assistance programs, the National Fire Plan
includes hiring 3,500 new firefighters and fire support staff, restoring
and rehabilitating fire-damaged ecosystems and watersheds, and reducing
natural fuels to decrease fire risks.

For more information on the National Fire Plan, go to
[http://www.na.fs.fed.us/nfp]{.underline} .

**\#**

**National Fire Plan Funding, USDA Forest Service**

FY 2001 Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, P.L. 106-291

+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
| ###### Programs               | #####   | #####                      |
|                               |         |                            |
|                               | #####   | ##### Description of Act   |
|                               |  Amount | ivities to be Accomplished |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
| #####                         |         |                            |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
| **Title IV Emergency          |         |                            |
| Contingency Funds**           |         |                            |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
|                               |         |                            |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
| **Cooperative Fire            |         |                            |
| Protection**:                 |         |                            |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
| State Fire Assistance:        |         |                            |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
| State preparedness:           | 10,     | Improve state fire         |
|                               | 832,000 | readiness to complement    |
|                               |         | Federal capability.        |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
| Firewise                      | 3,      | Provide fire prevention    |
|                               | 200,000 | education to improve       |
|                               |         | community and homeowner    |
|                               |         | readiness to prepare for   |
|                               |         | wildland fires.            |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
| #######  Haz                  | 28,     | Reduce hazardous fuel      |
| ard Mitigation and Prevention | 868,000 | accumulation on 395,000    |
|                               |         | acres in high-risk areas   |
|                               |         | and develop defensible     |
|                               |         | space for improved fire    |
|                               |         | protection.                |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
| Kenai Peninsula Borough       | 7,      | Improve forest health and  |
|                               | 483,000 | fire protection capability |
|                               |         | as outlined in the spruce  |
|                               |         | bark beetle task force     |
|                               |         | action plan.               |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
| Subtotal, State Fire          | 50,     |                            |
| Assistance                    | 383,000 |                            |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
| Volunteer Fire Assistance     | 8,      | Equip and train 4,000      |
|                               | 262,000 | rural volunteer fire       |
|                               |         | departments to improve the |
|                               |         | fire protection readiness  |
|                               |         | capability of local        |
|                               |         | communities.               |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
| #  Subtotal                   | 58,     |                            |
| , Cooperative Fire Protection | 645,000 |                            |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
|                               |         |                            |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
| **Forest Health Management**  | 11,     | Reduce the spread of       |
| (invasive species)            | 974,000 | invasive species due to    |
|                               |         | fires.                     |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
| #                             |         |                            |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
| #  Economic Action Programs   | 12,     | Expand and develop markets |
|                               | 472,000 | for woods products         |
|                               |         | resulting from fuel        |
|                               |         | removal.                   |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
|                               |         |                            |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
| **Community and Private Land  |         |                            |
| Fire Assistance**:            |         |                            |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
| Fence Reconstruction          | 8,      | Reconstruct fire damaged   |
|                               | 980,000 | fences in the Western      |
|                               |         | States.                    |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
| Hazard Mitigation             | 5,      | Reduce hazardous fuel      |
|                               | 987,000 | accumulation in high-risk  |
|                               |         | areas and develop          |
|                               |         | defensible space for       |
|                               |         | improved fire protection.  |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
| Multi-resource Stewardship    | 6,      | Enhance multi-resource     |
| Planning                      | 985,000 | stewardship planning to    |
|                               |         | ensure effective fire      |
|                               |         | protection treatments in   |
|                               |         | the wildland-urban         |
|                               |         | interface.                 |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
| Economic Action Programs      | 7,      | Initiate pilot projects    |
| Pilot Projects                | 982,000 | for improved utilization   |
|                               |         | of removed fuel, including |
|                               |         | biomass conversion.        |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
| ##  Community                 | 4,      | Support community planning |
|  Planning for Fire Protection | 989,000 | to develop and maintain    |
|                               |         | protection capabilities in |
|                               |         | high-risk areas in the     |
|                               |         | wildland-urban interface.  |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
| **Subtotal, Community and     | 34,     |                            |
| Private Land Fire**           | 923,000 |                            |
|                               |         |                            |
| **Assistance**:               |         |                            |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
| #                             |         |                            |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+
| ### Subtotal, Titl            | *       |                            |
| e IV State & Private Forestry | *118,01 |                            |
|                               | 4,000** |                            |
+-------------------------------+---------+----------------------------+