Wildfire Mitigation Cost-Share Program

How it works

Douglas County’s Wildfire Mitigation Cost-Share Program helps residents and communities protect private land against wildfire risk. Projects are selected through a competitive application process.

The county says funds are released after the work is finished, after county wildfire mitigation staff certify the work, and after the applicant provides proof of 50% payment. The county pays the contractor directly, not the homeowner.

What the money covers

Eligible project types include, but are not limited to:

• Creating defensible space on individual properties
• Linking defensible spaces across neighboring properties
• Community fuel breaks
• Fuels reduction on community-owned properties immediately adjacent to homes
• Hazardous fuels reduction in the home ignition zone outside organized communities
• General community thinning
• Community demonstration sites
• Community chipping that supports defensible-space creation and maintenance and improves forest health and community resilience

Amounts and matching

• Homeowner projects: up to 50% match, capped at $10,000
• Community projects: up to $25,000
• Applicants must submit at least two detailed contractor bids

How to apply

Before applying, applicants must gather the required documents. The county says all projects must submit:

• A minimum of two detailed contractor bids, preferably from the list of approved contractors
• A detailed site map

Timing and deadlines

The county says the 2026 application period is now closed and applicants should check back for future funding opportunities.

Important notes

• Projects in the land use process are not eligible for funding
• The program is intended for homeowners, HOAs, and communities seeking to reduce exposure to hazardous conditions in a wildland fire
• The county notes the work is not guaranteed to prevent damage or loss in a wildfire; it is intended to improve the odds of home survivability