Harrisburg, PA – The Shapiro Administration will invest up to $882,000 in volunteer fire companies to help protect rural communities from wildfires. The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is now accepting applications for grants.
“We appreciate the value of well-equipped and highly trained wildland firefighters and encourage fire companies to apply for these grants,” said DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. “The commitment and dedication of these volunteers is critical to ensuring the Commonwealth doesn’t experience larger wildfires. We appreciate the hard work of the men and women who volunteer with fire companies serving our rural communities across Pennsylvania.”
Applications must be submitted electronically through DCNR’s grant website by 4:00 PM, Wednesday, December 31. To expedite processing, only online applications will be accepted.
The maximum grant award in 2026 is $15,000 per fire company, with funding provided on a 50/50 cost-share basis — grants for any project during a fiscal year cannot exceed 50 percent of the actual expenditures of local, public, and private nonprofit organizations in the grant project. Eligible applicants include local firefighting forces in rural areas or communities with fewer than 10,000 residents. Funding can be used for training and equipment purchases directly related to fighting brush and forest fires. Recipients are selected based on vulnerability and adequacy of existing fire protection, with a focus on improving volunteer readiness and protecting lives and property in under-protected areas.
Priority will be placed on projects that include the purchase of wildfire suppression equipment and protective clothing. Grants may also be used to purchase mobile or portable radios; install dry hydrants; conduct wildfire prevention and mitigation work; train wildland firefighters; or convert vehicles into wildland fire engines.
Secretary Dunn also praised the readiness of Pennsylvania’s volunteer fire companies, who routinely assist other states each spring and summer while continuing to respond to local woodland and brush fires.
Governor Josh Shapiro’s 2025–26 proposed budget includes critical investments to strengthen fire departments and protect communities across the Commonwealth — including a new $30 million competitive grant program to fund equipment, staffing, and local needs; a pilot program to support shared municipal resources; and annual cancer screenings for firefighters to address job-related health risks.
In 2023, nearly $885,000 was awarded to 142 volunteer fire companies serving rural areas and communities where forest and brush fires are common. The grant program, offered through DCNR and funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, has provided more than $13 million since it began in 1982.
Fall Wildfire Season Safety
DCNR reminds Pennsylvanians that the greatest danger of wildfires occurs during the autumn months of October and November and spring months of March, April, and May. In Pennsylvania, 99 percent of all wildfires are caused by people.
Conditions necessary for wildfires include:
- An available fuel source, such as dried grass or leaves
- Dry conditions, including low relative humidity
- An ignition source, such as debris burning, power equipment, or campfires
DCNR encourages anyone starting a fire at home or at a campsite to make sure there are no combustible items within 10 feet of the fire, keep a rake or shovel and water nearby, and ensure the fire is completely extinguished before leaving the site. Check DCNR’s website to see if there is an elevated fire risk.
Advice from DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry includes:
- Clear the area around the fire before starting it.
- Keep fires small and never leave them unattended.
- Consider weather and dryness before striking a campfire match.
- Have a nearby water source and rake to extinguish embers.
- Douse the fire thoroughly with water until ashes are cool to the touch.
Residents are also encouraged to create “safe zones” around homes and cabins by removing leaves and debris, cleaning rain gutters, stacking firewood away from structures, and trimming overhanging branches.
Wildfire prevention is a key message shared nationwide through Smokey Bear. Learn more and access educational materials for children and teachers at www.SmokeyBear.com.
For upcoming events and programs on public lands, visit DCNR’s Calendar of Events.
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