The Trump administration withheld millions of dollars in wildfire-prevention grants from Washington state communities now battling blazes that have forced the evacuation of 65,000 residents.
Two organizations in the Spokane area of eastern Washington say they are still waiting on $15 million in Forest Service grants announced in September 2025 for projects designed to reduce wildfire risk.
The groups expected the money months ago, but federal funding was frozen amid a broader dispute over new Agriculture Department policies tied to immigration and diversity compliance.
The grants are among billions of dollars in USDA funding held up after the department introduced new terms requiring states to follow Trump administration priorities on immigration enforcement and the elimination of diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
Washington state declined to sign the new policy conditions, citing conflicts with state laws that restrict state involvement in federal immigration enforcement activities.
The state forester indicated that roughly 10 communities across Washington were set to receive large grants under the program before the standoff over the new terms stalled the funding.
It remains unclear whether the delayed grant money would have materially affected the three wildfires that broke out Saturday in the Spokane area, which have destroyed or damaged more than 900 buildings and burned over 10,400 acres.
The fires were roughly 10 percent contained as of Thursday afternoon, according to a federal wildfire tracking website, underscoring the scale of the ongoing emergency facing the region.
The grants originate from the $1 billion Community Wildfire Defense program created in 2022 under President Joe Biden through the bipartisan infrastructure law enacted in 2021, with the Forest Service distributing $200 million annually to top applicants.
The $15 million at issue represents the third year of funding under that program, which was designed to help communities reduce their exposure to catastrophic wildfire before blazes ignite.
After 20 Democratic-led states including Washington sued to overturn the USDA policy, a federal judge blocked it in June, allowing agencies to begin signing grant agreements and moving funds forward.
David Perk, coordinator of the Washington State Lands Working Group, criticized the administration’s handling of the situation in pointed terms following the funding delay.
“This is another example of the federal administration cutting off its nose to spite its face,” Perk said, reflecting frustration shared by forestry officials and community groups across the state.
Critics have also argued the policy was politically motivated, with one party describing it as “clearly targeted at Democratic states and Democratic partners.”
