DCR awards $131,000 for volunteer fire departments

At an event at the Brookfield Fire Station on Aug. 7, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation announced $131,000 in grants to 45 rural, call, or volunteer fire departments across Massachusetts.

The grants, awarded through the Volunteer Fire Capacity program, help departments train personnel, prevent forest fires, and strengthen emergency response.

Eligible departments must have at least 80% call or volunteer firefighters, be compliant with National Incident Management System standards, and be a state-recognized fire department. The municipalities also must have fewer than 10,000 residents.

Two communities were added to the Volunteer Fire Capacity program this year, along with a $14,000 funding increase over the previous year.

Volunteer and call firefighters are essential to public safety in many communities, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll said in a prepared statement.

“These grants will help departments purchase the equipment, protective gear and training they need to strengthen their response capabilities and continue keeping their neighbors safe,” Driscoll said.

Massachusetts wildfire seasons are growing longer, according to annual data. In 2025, the state experienced 1,161 wildfires, which burned approximately 925 acres.

Funding amounts of between $815 and $3,500 were awarded to Adams, Barre, Brimfield, Brookfield, Buckland, Chilmark, Clarksburg, Colrain, Dover, Essex, Gosnold, Granville, Huntington, Leverett, Mattapoisett, Montague, Monterey, Montgomery, New Braintree, New Marlborough, North Brookfield, Oak Bluffs, Pelham, Petersham, Plympton, Royalston, Shelburne, Sherborn, Shirley, South Deerfield, South Hadley, Stow, Sutton, Three Rivers Fire District, Tisbury, Tolland, Townsend, Wales, Warren, Wendell, West Barnstable Fire District, Williamsburg, Williamstown, Windsor, and Worthington.