The Department of the Interior today announced the award of $5.08 million in funding to strengthen local governments' wildfire response, a key priority for President Donald J. Trump. The Slip-on Tanker Pilot Program helps small, remote emergency response agencies quickly expand their wildfire response capacity by equipping local firefighters with practical, deployable tools that strengthen preparedness and protect lives, property and infrastructure.
"President Trump knows local firefighting agencies are often the first to respond when a wildfire ignites and took strong action to ensure they had the funding needed to get the job done for the American people," said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. "This program delivers practical tools that allow local departments to move faster, use existing equipment more effectively and respond before fires threaten communities."
The program helps local governments purchase slip-on tanker units, which can be used to quickly convert trucks or other vehicles to be operated as wildland fire engines, allowing departments to expand capacity without purchasing new apparatus. Local governments that provide emergency services to areas with a population of 50,000 or less are eligible to receive grants ranging from $10,000 to $500,000.
The funding announced today was awarded to 97 local emergency response agencies in 26 states. The recipients serve communities with a moderate to high wildfire risk, as determined by the Wildfire Risk to Communities tool.
Enhancing local wildfire response is a priority for the Trump administration, as mandated in Executive Order 14308, Empowering Commonsense Wildfire Prevention and Response. The funding announced today will improve the ability of local agencies to respond quickly to nearby wildfires and to support interagency wildland firefighting efforts. As wildfires grow larger and more destructive, these efforts will help safeguard communities, support first responders and reduce risks to critical infrastructure.
A new round of grant opportunities through the Slip-on Tanker Pilot Program will be announced in early 2026. Additional details about the next application window will be posted on grants.gov.
