By Trish Svoboda

Officials from the Kansas Forest Service (KFS) received three grants, totaling $340,200 from the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).

These funds, available through the USFS Community Wildfire Defense Grants program, have been allocated to Chase, Butler, and Leavenworth counties. According to the KFS, these funds will aid in the state’s defenses against wildfires, especially in the state’s urban regions.

CWDG grants are accessible to forest service units nationwide and are a part of the government’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The KFS states that the grant distribution follows a comprehensive educational campaign over the past two years, aimed at increasing awareness of the wildfire risk within Kansas communities. In collaboration with national partners, the Kansas Forest Service has effectively underscored the pressing need for proactive steps to mitigate the risk at the wildfire urban interface.

KFS officials have announced that the agency will utilize these funds to collaborate with the three counties in formulating and executing Community Wildfire Protection Plans.