The federal government has awarded a total of $100,000 to five rural Douglas County firefighting forces that respond to incidents in the Pike National Forest, compensation from Washington for emergency coverage of nontaxable land.
The Douglas County commissioners distributed the money this week among the Jackson 105 Fire Protection District, Larkspur Fire Protection District, Mountain Communities Volunteer Fire Protection District, North Fork Fire Protection District, and West Douglas Fire Protection District.
The money, intended to cover future expenses this year, comes from the federal government’s Payment in Lieu of Taxes fund to cover the districts’ costs of responding to wildland fires, medical emergencies and structure fires in the Pike, from which the county collects no property taxes.
The fire districts will use the money to update wildland fire equipment, purchase new rescue equipment, pay for training and improve communication mechanisms.