Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant applications due Oct. 15

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources Wildland Fire Program, working with the U.S. Forest Service, has grant money available for rural fire departments to help battle wildfires.

The grant, due Oct. 15, offers funding assistance for wildfire suppression equipment, slide in units, hoses, nozzles, adapters, portable tanks and pumps, personal protective equipment and communications equipment.

The grant provides 50 percent reimbursement for wildland fire equipment with a maximum reimbursement grant of $3,500 per department.

The grant application package and Wildland Fire Report form are available at www.iowadnr.gov/fire.

Fire departments should submit a Wildland Fire Report whenever they respond to a wildland fire or provide assistance to a prescribed or controlled wildland fire. Departments actively returning these reports can receive priority points in the Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant application scoring process.