Teton commissioners authorize IAFC fuels-grant bid to harden Jackson Library

Teton County commissioners on March 3 directed Jackson Hole Fire/EMS staff to apply for up to $15,000 in International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) “Ready, Set, Go!” Fuels Reduction funding for a wildfire-mitigation project at the Teton County Library’s Jackson branch. The grant would support vegetation removal in the “zero-to-five-foot” zone around the building and replacement with noncombustible, Firewise-approved materials, plus maintenance of larger conifer fuels elsewhere on the property, according to the county’s staff report. (IAFC Fuels Reduction Funding Staff Report)

The staff report frames the library as critical community infrastructure and an emergency support agency for the Town of Jackson and Teton County, arguing the site can serve as a high-visibility example of defensible-space practices. Fire/EMS staff said they expect to coordinate with library staff and contractors, and may involve volunteers and the Teton Area Wildfire Protection Coalition in the work and related education.

If the grant is awarded, a minimum 5% cash match would be required (about $750 on a full $15,000 award); staff said the library has budgeted funds to cover it. The IAFC program materials attached to the report list a July 17, 2026 deadline to complete work and submit invoices for reimbursement, with closeout reporting due July 31, 2026, and note procurement documentation requirements for contracted services above $3,000.