Lewis and Clark County Eligible for $450,000 FEMA Wildfire Mitigation Funding

On Dec. 16, 2025 Lewis and Clark County was notified that it is eligible for up to $450,000 in federal FEMA mitigation funding aimed at reducing wildfire risk in areas affected by last summer's North Hills fire. The allocation is intended to support treatments and repairs on private properties where wildfire damage and increased hazard create ongoing risk for neighborhoods and infrastructure.

Eligible work under the mitigation program includes creating defensible space around structures, reducing hazardous fuels, adding ignition resistant materials to buildings, and implementing erosion and flooding prevention measures on burned slopes. The county emphasized that funding is contingent on applications from property owners, and that projects will be assessed for eligibility and funding amounts by county assessors.

Property owners who wish to be considered must submit applications by Dec. 31. After the deadline the assessors will review proposed projects, determine whether they meet FEMA eligibility criteria, and recommend funding amounts to the county for final allocation. The process places responsibility on property owners to initiate mitigation work while relying on county assessment to align projects with federal program rules.

Local emergency services and volunteer departments have been engaged in recovery and mitigation planning since the North Hills fire. Tri Lakes Volunteer Fire Department Chief Bob Drake is among local officials involved in community response and preparedness efforts. Federal mitigation funding offers an opportunity to translate that planning into concrete risk reduction on private parcels that contributed to post fire hazards.

For residents this funding can reduce out of pocket costs for work that directly lowers the likelihood of future structure loss, and it can address secondary hazards such as post fire erosion and flooding that threaten roads and water quality. Timely applications will be critical to securing a share of the $450,000 available to the county, and property owners should contact county officials or the county assessor's office before the Dec. 31 deadline to confirm submission requirements and next steps.