WILDFIRE GRANTS
138 Iowa rural fire departments, including a dozen in northwest Iowa, have been awarded federal grants for the purchase of specialized equipment to fight wildfires. The Iowa DNR made the awards. D-N-R forestry fire supervisor Jason Walker says Iowa fire departments are normally set up to fight structure fires in burning homes or commercial buildings.
The gear for wildfires is specialized for the challenges they provide.
Walker says the grants are a good way to help departments be prepared for anything.
Walker says Iowa wildfires are not like the ones you might see on T-V where they consume, forests, homes and anything in their path. But they are still a concern.
Walker says we saw one of the busier wildfire seasons in Iowa this year.
The Iowa volunteer fire departments received a total of 416-thousand dollars in grants.
The fire departments receiving grants include: Alta, Cherokee, Meriden, Granville, Hawarden, Orange City, Inwood, Larchwood, and Sibley.
