Wildfire Mitigation Community Assistance Program

How it works

The Wildfire Collaborative Roaring Fork Valley runs a community assistance program for property owners and community groups creating wildfire-resilient homes and neighborhoods. Applications are accepted year-round, and funding decisions are made in two cycles: a spring/summer cycle for applications collected May 1 to August 31, with decisions by September 30; and a fall/winter cycle for applications collected September 1 to April 30, with decisions by May 31.

What the money covers

The program funds several kinds of wildfire risk-reduction work:

• Vegetative fuels reduction projects that remove or reduce vegetation around a home.
• Home ignition zone hazard reduction projects that harden the home from ember exposure, typically in the first 0-30 feet.
• Community chipping programs for collective groups of residents.
• Large-scale projects that can change wildfire behavior and improve suppression effectiveness.

Amounts and matching

The page does not state a fixed dollar cap. It says applicants should describe how much funding they are requesting and how they will meet the required 50% match. Match may be cash or pre-approved hourly in-kind work. Homeowner labor counts toward match at $35 per hour, but homeowners are not paid directly for work on their own property. Low-income residents and groups can apply for a reduction in the required match.

How to apply

Applicants must first request a free, confidential home wildfire risk assessment from a qualified assessor. The page says assessments may come from a local fire station, Eagle County for residents in the Eagle portion of the Roaring Fork Valley, or the West Region Wildfire Council for residents in Marble/Gunnison. If an assessment was done within the past 3 years, it may be used for the application. Then the applicant completes the mitigation assistance application form.

Timing and deadlines

Applications are accepted year-round, but funding decisions happen only in the two annual cycles above. The page encourages applicants to apply before starting work, though that is not required.