When you hear “wildfire,” you may immediately think of the awful wildfires plaguing communities in California. But wildfires happen in Butler County.

Often in the form of brush fires, they require our local firefighters to respond and extinguish flames that would otherwise spread.

On Tuesday, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced it would award more than $762,000 in grants to increase protection from wildfires in Pennsylvania’s small communities.

Among the recipients were four fire companies in Butler County: Chicora Community Hose & Relief Association, Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company, Connoquenessing Volunteer Fire Company and Oneida Valley Volunteer Fire Company.

The money can fund training and equipment that keeps our firefighters safe. The funds also may go toward mobile or portable radios, installing dry hydrants, wildfire prevention and mitigation work, wildfire fighter training and converting and maintaining federal excess fire vehicles.

Notably, these grants were available only to communities with populations under 10,000. These communities are ones that could be especially affected should a wildfire get out of control.

Here in Butler County, Chicora Community Hose & Relief Association and Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company received $10,000 and $10,800, respectively. Connoquenessing Volunteer Fire Company received $6,300, and Oneida Valley Volunteer Fire Company received $925.

We are excited to see this investment in local fire departments. It will make a real impact in the communities they serve.

— TL