Council approves cooperative agreement for community wildfire defense grant with Rim to Rim Restoration

The Moab City Council approved a cooperative agreement Oct. 14 between the city and Rim to Rim Restoration to participate in a Community Wildfire Defense grant focused on fuel reduction in the Moab Valley.

City staff said the grant packages total $653,000 for labor and qualified expenses plus $91,000 for equipment rentals and related costs. The arrangement will fund an employee position for four to five years dedicated to fuel-reduction work on city properties and to support shared use of a tracked mulcher head and skid steer the city has ordered. Staff said the equipment will be shared with partners, including the local fire department and Rim to Rim Restoration.

Sofia, a Rim to Rim representative present at the meeting, was introduced as the organization’s contact for the cooperative work. Councilmembers voted to approve the agreement and asked staff to proceed with hiring and equipment deployment plans.

Why it matters: The grant-funded work increases the city’s capacity to reduce hazardous fuels around urban areas, support wildfire resilience and leverage equipment-sharing among local partners.

Next steps: Staff will hire the position, schedule initial fuel-reduction projects on city land and execute equipment-sharing protocols with Rim to Rim and the fire department.

Ending: Council approved the agreement unanimously and staff said they expect to begin implementation promptly.