Fire departments in Trumbull, Mahoning, and northern Columbiana counties have been added to the list of those who could be eligible for grants, training and other programs to help them fight forest fires.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has expanded the Division of Forestry's Forest Fire Protection Area to include 43 counties.
Until now, the southern portion of Columbiana was the only part of the Valley included in the protection area. "The expanded wildfire protection area contains approximately 580 fire departments, a significant increase from approximately 325 fire departments contained in the protection area prior to the expansion," said Greg Guess, deputy chief and wildfire program coordinator for the ODNR Division of Forestry. "The ODNR Division of Forestry is looking forward to partnering with more rural fire departments to increase wildfire protection efforts in their communities."