State officials say the funding will help communities prepare for spring wildfire season through vegetation management and fire prevention projects.
Trenton, NJ – The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has awarded $90,000 in grants to 22 communities across the state to support projects aimed at reducing wildfire risk ahead of the spring fire season.
The funding, announced by the DEP Forest Fire Service, targets communities located in high-risk wildland-urban interface areas where residential development borders forest land.
Key Points
• New Jersey awarded $90,000 in wildfire risk-reduction grants to 22 communities
• Funding supports vegetation clearing, firebreak maintenance and public education
• Many grant recipients are located in wildfire-prone areas of southern New Jersey
Grants focus on wildfire prevention
State officials said the funding will support projects designed to reduce wildfire danger before peak fire season.
Eligible work includes maintaining firebreaks, thinning forests and removing “ladder fuels” such as shrubs and small trees that allow fires to climb from the forest floor into tree canopies.
Officials say those fuels can cause fires to spread more rapidly and become harder for firefighters to control.
Home protection and public education included
Some communities will use the funding for outreach and home-hardening programs aimed at reducing the risk that homes ignite during wildfires.
These efforts include clearing dead vegetation near structures, maintaining defensible space around homes and installing protective features such as mesh vent screens to block wind-driven embers.
State officials say many homes lost in wildfires are ignited by airborne embers rather than direct flames.
Communities receiving grants
Several communities in Ocean County received grants through the program, including Barnegat, Little Egg Harbor, Manchester, Toms River, Tuckerton and Waretown.
Other recipients are located in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Monmouth and Warren counties.
Grant funding ranges from about $2,000 to $4,300 depending on the project.
Spring wildfire season approaching
Mid-March through mid-May is typically the peak wildfire season in New Jersey, when low humidity, windy conditions and dry forest fuels increase fire risk.
The risk is especially high in the Pinelands region of southern New Jersey, where sandy soils dry quickly after rainfall.
Officials say the Firewise Communities program helps residents better understand wildfire threats and take steps to reduce those risks before fires start.