{"id":12421,"date":"2026-03-05T12:01:49","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T17:01:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/newsrel\/?p=12421"},"modified":"2026-03-05T12:44:40","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T17:44:40","slug":"26_0009","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/newsrel\/26_0009\/","title":{"rendered":"Sherrill Administration Awards $90,000\u202fin Grants to Help Communities Reduce Risk in Advance of Wildfire Season (26\/P009)"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text css=””]IMMEDIATE RELEASE<\/strong>
\nMarch 5, 2026[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

Contact: <\/strong>Caryn Shinske (609) 984-1795
\nLawrence Hajna (609) 984-1795
\nVincent Grassi (609) 984-1795<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

SHERRILL ADMINISTRATION AWARDS $90,000\u00a0IN GRANTS TO HELP COMMUNITIES REDUCE RISK IN ADVANCE OF WILDFIRE SEASON<\/strong><\/h3>\n


\n(26\/P09) TRENTON <\/strong>\u2013 Ahead of the spring wildfire season, the Department of Environmental Protection\u2019s Forest Fire Service today\u00a0announced\u00a0$90,000\u00a0in grants to 22 communities\u00a0statewide to\u00a0support wildfire risk-reduction projects, part of the Sherrill Administration\u2019s mission to deliver to protect New Jersey communities from lengthening wildfire seasons amid a changing climate.<\/p>\n

Communities receiving funds are\u00a0located\u00a0within New Jersey\u2019s high-risk wildland-urban interface,\u00a0areas where\u00a0forest\u00a0lands\u00a0and human development\u00a0intertwine,\u00a0and have\u00a0an\u00a0approved Firewise\u00a0Action\u00a0Plan through the Forest Fire Service\u2019s\u00a0Firewise\u00a0Communities<\/a>\u00a0program.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Firewise Communities Program supports concrete actions to help save lives and raise awareness for both vigilance and action to reduce wildfire risk,\u201d said Environmental Protection Acting Commissioner Ed Potosnak.<\/strong> \u201cThe partnerships supported by this initiative are vital for ensuring the protection of lives and property in New Jersey\u2019s most wildfire-prone areas.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs New Jersey approaches spring wildfire season, preparation is critical, and\u00a0community level\u00a0action to\u00a0reduce\u00a0wildfire\u00a0risk\u00a0through\u00a0implementation of\u00a0the Firewise Communities program\u00a0is an important step to\u00a0take,\u201d\u00a0said John Cecil, DEP\u2019s Assistant Commissioner for State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites.<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cThese grants empower communities to take meaningful action\u00a0to reduce\u00a0wildfire\u00a0risk in their own backyards.\u201d<\/p>\n

The grant program is part of\u00a0the\u00a0National Fire Protection Association\u2019s Firewise USA\u00a0initiative, which helps residents understand wildfire risks. It further supports communities in reducing those risks through planning, preparedness, education, and technical and financial\u00a0assistance.<\/p>\n

Funding for the grants was made available\u00a0through the USDA\u00a0Forest\u00a0Service\u2019s\u00a0Wildfire Risk Reduction Grant Program\u00a0provided to the\u00a0Middle Atlantic Interstate Forest Fire Protection Compact\u00a0and distributed by the DEP Forest Fire Service.\u00a0The Compact coordinates forest fire protection, planning and training among Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania,\u00a0Virginia\u00a0and West Virginia.<\/p>\n

How the Grants Are Used<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Funded projects\u00a0may include\u00a0reducing\u00a0wildfire risk\u00a0through the\u00a0maintenance\u00a0of\u00a0firebreaks to keep them clear of\u00a0vegetation, along with\u00a0strategic\u00a0forest-thinning\u00a0activities\u00a0to reduce\u00a0low\u00a0and midstory trees and\u00a0shrubs\u00a0known as\u00a0ladder fuels. Those ladder\u00a0fuels\u00a0can\u00a0allow fire to spread rapidly from the forest floor into the tree canopy, making fires more difficult to control and extinguish.<\/p>\n

Other potential projects include community education and outreach, as well as home-hardening initiatives. Home hardening involves modifying building materials, design features and landscaping to reduce the likelihood that a home will ignite during a wildfire.<\/p>\n

Homes are typically not destroyed by direct flames but by embers<\/a> and burning debris carried by wind. Home hardening focuses on preventing these ignition points by removing dead vegetation near structures, creating defensible space, planting fire-resistant landscaping, keeping gutters clear of leaves and pine needles, and modifying structures, such as installing mesh screens over vents, to prevent embers from entering.<\/p>\n

\u201cNew\u00a0Jersey\u00a0has one of the most successful Firewise Community programs in the country, which not only helps keep residents safe in\u00a0the\u00a0event\u00a0of a wildfire, but gives our firefighters a deeper knowledge of the issues in the communities they protect,\u201d\u00a0said\u00a0Bill Donnelly, Chief of the Forest Fire Service.<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cWhen residents and firefighters\u00a0collaborate,\u00a0they\u00a0support\u00a0better planning, prevention\u00a0and response\u00a0to wildfires.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grant recipients\u00a0are required to\u00a0provide a\u00a0matching contribution through monetary\u00a0funds\u00a0and\/or\u00a0documented\u00a0volunteer hours.<\/p>\n

The following communities had their Firewise grant applications approved:<\/p>\n

Atlantic County<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Egg Harbor:<\/strong> Victoria Crossing Community Association, $4,200<\/p>\n

Burlington County<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Leisuretown\u00a0Association, Inc., Southampton and Tranquility Ridge\u00a0Homeowners Association, Vincentown: $4,200 each<\/p>\n

Camden County<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Waterford Township:<\/strong> $4,200<\/p>\n

Monmouth County<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Hamilton:<\/strong> Horizons at Woods Landing\u00a0Homeowners Association, $4,200<\/p>\n

Ocean County<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Barnegat: <\/strong>Brighton at Barnegat Firewise Association, $3,500; Four Seasons at Mirage Homeowners Association, Heritage Bay Homeowners Association, Heritage Point Homeowners Association, Horizons at Barnegat Homeowners Association, and Pheasant Run Barnegat, $4,200 each; Pinewood Estates Firewise, $2,000<\/p>\n

Little Egg Harbor: <\/strong>Four Seasons at Harbor Bay Homeowners Association and Four Seasons at Sea Oaks\u00a0Homeowners Association, $4,200 each<\/p>\n

Manchester: <\/strong>Crestwood Village Five Homeowners Association and Crestwood Village Six Community Association, Inc., $4,300 each<\/p>\n

Manahawkin: <\/strong>Atlantic Hills Homeowners Association and Paramount Escapes Ocean Breeze, Manahawkin,\u00a0$4,200 each<\/p>\n

Toms River:<\/strong> Greenbriar Woodlands Homeowners Association, $4,200<\/p>\n

Tuckerton:<\/strong> Cranberry Creek Homeowners Association, Inc., $4,200<\/p>\n

Waretown:<\/strong> Greenbriar Oceanaire Community Association, Inc., $4,200<\/p>\n

Warren County<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Hardwick Township:<\/strong> $4,300<\/p>\n

About Firewise and Spring Wildfire Season<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

New Jersey has\u00a0participated\u00a0in the Firewise Communities\u00a0program\u00a0since 2004,\u00a0when\u00a0Hardwick Township in\u00a0Warren County\u00a0became\u00a0the state\u2019s first Firewise Community.\u00a0It is one of several\u00a0programs\u00a0offered by the DEP Forest Fire Service to help\u00a0educate residents about wildfire risk, reduce forest fuels and\u00a0plan for future wildfires.<\/p>\n

Mid-March to Mid-May is typically peak wildfire season in New Jersey. At this time of year, trees and underbrush are still leafing out, relative humidity is\u00a0generally low, and windy days are common. The combination of these factors means forested lands dry out quickly, particularly in the Pinelands of southern New Jersey. The sandy and porous soils in this vast region do not\u00a0retain\u00a0moisture for long,\u00a0exacerbate\u00a0drying and increase the potential for a fire to spark only hours after rainfall.<\/p>\n

Residents and community leaders can learn more about wildfire threats to homes and businesses through the\u00a0New Jersey Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal<\/a>\u00a0(NJWRAP), which compiles data and resources to help residents, community leaders and fire professionals\u00a0take actions to mitigate\u00a0wildfire risk.<\/p>\n

In 2025, the Forest Fire Service launched the NJ Wildfire SMART<\/a> (Safety, Mitigation, Awareness, Response, Training) initiative, a series of actions that emphasize steps and information resources for reducing wildfire risk and spread.<\/p>\n

To learn more about wildfires in New Jersey, steps to protect property, and other resources, visit\u00a0wildfire.nj.gov<\/a><\/p>\n

Like the Forest Fire Service\u2019s Facebook page at\u00a0facebook.com\/NJForestFireService\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Follow the Forest Fire Service on X (formerly Twitter)\u00a0@njdepforestfire<\/a>\u00a0and Instagram\u00a0@newjerseyforestfire<\/a><\/p>\n

###<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text css=””]IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 5, 2026[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text css=””] Contact: Caryn Shinske (609) 984-1795 Lawrence Hajna (609) 984-1795 Vincent Grassi (609) 984-1795 [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””] SHERRILL ADMINISTRATION AWARDS $90,000\u00a0IN GRANTS TO HELP COMMUNITIES REDUCE RISK IN ADVANCE OF WILDFIRE SEASON (26\/P09) TRENTON \u2013 Ahead of the spring wildfire season, the Department of Environmental Protection\u2019s Forest Fire […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":112,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"dep-single.php","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[206],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12421","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-206"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/newsrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12421","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/newsrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/newsrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/newsrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/112"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/newsrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12421"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/newsrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12421\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12430,"href":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/newsrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12421\/revisions\/12430"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/newsrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12421"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/newsrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12421"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/newsrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12421"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}