Funding Available for Post-Wildfire Infrastructure Repair Assistance

Phoenix, AZ (8/20/21) – As part of a $100 million investment into the state of Arizona, the Department of Forestry and Fire Management develops the Post-Wildfire Infrastructure Assistance Program to help public and private landowners with repair costs associated with damaged infrastructure from wildfires across the state.

Starting Friday, August 20, 2021, grants will be available under the new program that provides $10 million for public and private landowners to assist with emergency repairs to infrastructure damaged by wildfires or fire suppression activities occurring on July 1, 2020, and thereafter. Infrastructure includes, but is not limited to, fencing, water storage tanks and troughs, and sewer systems.

Thanks to Governor Ducey, the Post Wildfire Infrastructure Program is one part of the $100 million, HB 2001 legislation approved during a special session after devastating wildfires in the Gila County-area. HB 2001 also provides $25 million for the Healthy Forest Initiative, $19 million for wildfire suppression costs, $36 million for post-fire flooding mitigation projects, along with $10 million in funding to help DFFM purchase new equipment and upgrade communications infrastructure.

Since the legislation was passed on June 18, 2021, DFFM has already provided $4.3 million in financial assistance to multiple counties as part of the post-fire flooding portion of the appropriated $100 million. DFFM has also approved 75 resource requests from Gila County, one of the most impacted communities this year. Requests included items for immediate needs such as sandbagging machines, heavy equipment, flood barriers, and other pertinent tools to help protect Gila County residents from flooding due to wildfires.

For complete details on the Post-Wildfire Infrastructure Program and the grant application and process, please visit DFFM’s Grants page. The application period will close once all funding is distributed to appropriate infrastructure repair projects.