North Dakota Forest Service programs support the state’s 357 fire departments, which are essential for enhancing firefighting capabilities and public safety. The program provides rural fire departments with cost-share funds for organizing, training, planning, and purchasing fire equipment.
Wildland Fire Trainings Available
Fire Management staff offer trainings for fire departments upon request. Preferred requests are from October-April (during off season), and can be offered on location or at the NDFS fire hall in Bismarck. These trainings are free and can cover a variety of topics, including: incident command system, simulation table exercises, fire suppression tactics, radio communication, intro to ignitions, or wildland fire saw operations.
Volunteer Fire Department Grants
The Cooperative Fire Protection Assistance (CFPA) Grant program administered through the NDFS has provided grants to Volunteer Fire Departments across the state. These reimbursable grants are based on a 50/50 cost share. The grant program will NOT be available in 2025.
Department Eligibility Requirements:
- Have a signed Cooperative Fire Agreement on file with the NDFS.
- Have a Certificate of Existence from the State Fire Marshal’s Office.
- Be National Incident Management System (NIMS) compliant.
- Report all wildfires to the NDFS utilizing the Emergency Reporting online fire reporting tool.
- Serve a population of less than 10,000.
- Participants in the Fire Danger Sign Program must meet the Fire Danger Sign Program requirements.
- In the application, include the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) under the fire department's name at Sam.gov (not the DUNS # like in previous grant cycles)
Possible grant awards:
- Project (firefighting gear and other personal protective equipment (PPE), tools, communication equipment, etc.) Awards are up to $10,000 for a project. A department may spend more than $20,000 but the maximum award amount will not exceed $10,000. Single item total purchase price cannot exceed $4,999.
- Vehicle - Award up to $20,000 for a vehicle. A department may spend more than $40,000 but the maximum amount awarded will not exceed $20,000.
Reduce Your Wildfire Risk with Firewise
Every year, devastating wildfires burn across the United States. At the same time, a growing number of people are living where wildfires are a real risk. While these fires will continue to happen, there are things you can do to protect your home and neighborhood as well as your family’s safety. The Firewise USA® program has a variety of resources to assist homeowners, program participants, and other wildfire stakeholders as they travel down the path to wildfire risk reduction.
