Florida Receives $900K Stimulus Funds for Wildfire Prevention

Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson announced that his department has been awarded $900,000 under the federal stimulus plan to conduct wildfire prevention efforts.

The funding, which is being provided by the U.S. Forest Service, will enable Bronson’s Division of Forestry to do prescribed burning to minimize the impact of wildfires, conduct other hazardous fuel reduction activities, and provide community information and education to Florida residents living near high wildfire-risk areas.

Some of the projects are designed to lessen the density of vegetation by using proven land management techniques, including prescribed burning and mechanical methods such as roller chopping, mulching and mowing. Other projects will focus on providing community information so that residents can learn how to lower their own home and community’s wildfire risk.

Bronson said his agency will work in partnerships with other land management organizations and engage Florida contractors in the project as a key element of the federal stimulus program is job creation.

Bronson said Florida is currently engaged in a tough wildfire season as a result of the lack of significant rainfall throughout the fall and winter.