WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of the Interior on Tuesday announced $5.08 million in new federal funding aimed at bolstering local wildfire response, delivering a surge of resources to nearly 100 small and rural fire departments facing rising fire risks across the country.
The money, awarded through the Slip-on Tanker Pilot Program, will go to 97 local emergency response agencies in 26 states, targeting communities with moderate to high wildfire danger, as identified by the Wildfire Risk to Communities tool. The initiative is a key priority of President Donald J. Trump’s administration as wildfire seasons grow longer, hotter, and more destructive.
“President Trump knows local firefighting agencies are often the first to respond when a wildfire ignites and took strong action to ensure they had the funding needed to get the job done for the American people,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said. “This program delivers practical tools that allow local departments to move faster, use existing equipment more effectively and respond before fires threaten communities.”
The grants, ranging from $10,000 to $500,000, will allow eligible local governments to purchase slip-on tanker units — portable systems that can be mounted onto existing trucks or vehicles, instantly converting them into wildland fire engines. The approach allows small, often cash-strapped departments to expand their firefighting capacity without the cost of buying new fire apparatus.
Only communities serving populations of 50,000 or fewer are eligible, ensuring the money reaches small towns and remote regions where professional firefighting resources can be scarce and response times critical.
The funding flows from Executive Order 14308, titled Empowering Commonsense Wildfire Prevention and Response, which directed federal agencies to prioritize practical, fast-acting tools that strengthen front-line wildfire defense.
Interior officials said the investments will allow local crews to attack fires more quickly, protect homes and infrastructure, and better support regional and interagency firefighting efforts as blazes grow larger and more complex.
A new round of grant opportunities through the Slip-on Tanker Pilot Program is expected to be announced in early 2026, with application details to be posted on grants.gov.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.