Volunteer Fire Assistance (Washington) (WA VFA)
Federal Volunteer Fire Assistance money, administered by DNR, providing grants and wildfire training to fire districts and departments, and a fire cache that sells PPE and equipment at a 50 percent discount. Funds PPE and general equipment.
Who it is for
Fire districts and departments in Washington that respond to wildland fire and serve communities of 10,000 or fewer, or that serve a larger community but cover a rural area under 10,000 (in which case VFA funds only the rural portion).
Department types: Volunteer, Combination
An honest note on fit
Small but easy value, especially the fire cache discount, for a rural Washington department with wildland exposure. Not available every year, so check current availability before counting on it.
Before you start
How you apply: Apply directly to the funder.
Federal Forest Service money administered by DNR. You apply to DNR, not to the federal government.
Match required: Yes, a 50 percent match for PPE and general equipment purchases.
How to apply
- Confirm your district responds to wildland fire and serves a qualifying rural community.
- For the fire cache discount, watch for the annual ordering window and use the DNR shopping cart, where prices reflect the 50 percent discount up to a cart cap.
- For grant funding, review the current VFA phase information on the DNR page.
- Submit your order or application within the open window.
- Note VFA may not run every year depending on federal funding; call DNR at 360-902-1300 to confirm.
Deadline: Annual, administered in phases (PPE, then general equipment). The 2026 fire cache ordering opened February 17, 2026. Availability depends on federal funding each year. Check the DNR page. (Annual cycle)
Funding: Modest. The fire cache caps a discounted order at around $3,300 per district; grant phases provide additional equipment funding. Amounts vary by year.
This is how Washington administers the federal Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA). Apply through this state program; the federal page gives the national context. See the federal program .
Verified as of 2026-05-31. Programs are checked periodically against their official source. Funding details and deadlines change. Confirm the current requirements on the official program page before you apply.