On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service announced a funding opportunity under the Hazardous Fuels Transportation Assistance Program to reduce wildfire risk, expand and create market opportunities, and support local jobs. This program is available to local companies and partners that remove hazardous fuels from national forests and transport the material for processing into wood products or services.

According to the press release, removing hazardous fuels from forests can reduce the risk of wildfires, protect watersheds, and improve forest health and resilience. Hazardous fuels are typically woody materials with little commercial value. While these materials can be turned into useful products or services, transportation costs are often prohibitive. Without transportation assistance, these materials are often burned in place or not removed from national forests, increasing the risk of insects, disease, and wildfires that threaten ecosystems, communities, and critical infrastructure.

Applications for this funding opportunity will be accepted for 30 days. Project selection will be announced later this year.

In a statement prepared for the announcement, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said:

“The timber and wood products industry helps maintain healthy and sustainable forests. Thanks to historic funding from the current administration, this funding opportunity enables local communities to create and retain jobs while helping the USDA Forest Service implement sustainable forest management practices that reduce wildfire risk and support the Wildfire Crisis Strategy.”

The FEA compiles Wood Markets News from various third party sources to provide readers with the latest news impacting forest products markets. The opinions or views expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect those of the FEA.