State Fire Assistance Program

Goals

• Enhance the protection of lives, homes, investments, and natural resources in rural America.
• Enhance rural development opportunities and economic vitality.
• Protect the environment from unwanted wildfires.
• Reduce risk to public safety, prevent resources loss, and help maintain costs of fire suppression.

This program is authorized by Section 10(b)3 of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (PL 95-313) as amended by the Forest Stewardship Act of 1990 (PL 101-624), also known as the 1990 Farm Bill. The State Fire Assistance program provides financial, technical, and operational support to improve the capability of the Alaska Division of Forestry in providing coordination, initial attack, and prevention on state and private lands.

The Cooperative Fire staff assists the Division of Forestry by providing leadership to promote local emphasis, focus, and direction on improving the quality of rural fire protection within the state.

The program re-established the premise that effective wildland fire suppression is a prerequisite to forestry conservation and stewardship. The program is a basic, emergency service that is essential to the welfare of rural citizens and to effective and sustained rural development.