Boulder County residents can now apply for a wildfire mitigation rebate program as drought conditions persist and snowpack remains low.
The program incentivizes residents to take action to reduce wildfire risk on their property.
Jim Webster, a program manager with Boulder County-based Wildlife Partners, told KUNC fire conditions are especially concerning this year, which prompted officials to open applications two months earlier than usual.
“Everybody's talking about it,” Webster said. “Things are dry and crispy and crunchy and all those things in terms of that brown vegetation, those flashy fuels.”
Webster offers six calls to action to manage wildfire vulnerability:
- Junk Your Junipers - Juniper plants are highly combustible. Webster referred to them as “green gas cans.”
- Fences Are Fuses - Wooden fences can be rebuilt and/or repaired with non-flammable materials to reduce ignition risk.
- The First Five Feet - Removing hazardous materials within a five-foot radius of structures creates a non-combustible zone. Wildfire Partners calls it “a critical element of wildfire mitigation best practices.”
- Vents For Defense - Covering exterior vents can prevent airborne embers from getting into a home and igniting.
- Cut The Clutter - Cleaning out from under decks prevents buildup of material that can catch fire from embers and spread.
- Protect Home Base - Wildfire Partners recommends covering the bottom six inches of siding on a home with noncombustible material. Corrugated steel, stone, and stucco are options.
