BOULDER, Colo. — A new program in Boulder seeks to help cover part of the cost of improving the fire resiliency of homes that are most at risk during a wildfire.
The Wildfire Resilience Assistance Program recently launched and provides up to $1,000 to eligible property owners after they have had a detailed home assessment done by one of the Community Risk Reduction (CRR) specialists at Boulder Fire Rescue. The assessment, which determines how property owners can better protect their homes, is free.
The homeowners then get an inspection report, which will detail the improvements that are eligible for the grant rebate.
Denver7 followed CRR Specialist Steve Orr as he completed a detailed home assessment in a neighborhood near the base of the Flatirons.
He noted positive attributes like asphalt shingle roofs, which are the highest level of fire resistance, paired with metal gutters, which are non-combustible. Even then, homeowners should make sure flammable pine needles and leaves get cleaned out, just in case an ember spreads to those gutters.
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"There's mulch here at the base of these shrubs," Orr observed as he walked around the outside of the home. "Embers can land in the mulch and smolder and then spread fire upward into the shrubbery, which is right up against combustible wood siding. And windows are somewhat vulnerable."
Making changes to a home or landscaping can be costly.
"Anyone who's in our wildland urban interface can qualify up to $1,000 for grant assistance on particular items on their inspection report," said Danielle McNutt, CRR senior program manager.
Boulder has created the below map to help you determine if you live in at an eligible address.
"I'm really excited to reach out to residents that haven't contacted us before for a detailed home assessment, and help them get on their way with a little bit of grant assistance," McNutt said.
Since the program launched in September, residents in 222 homes have signed up for assessments and six have completed grant applications.
"They're not only keeping their family and their home safe, but they're also keeping our firefighters safe, which is really important," McNutt said.
The deadline for this round of grant funding is Nov. 30. There are plans to launch a second round of funding next year. The funding was made possible by the city's Climate Tax, which was approved by Boulder voters in 2022 and allocates funding to increase the city's wildfire resilience.
For more information on how to apply for the Wildfire Resilience Assistance Program, as well as a list of FAQs, click here. The program is funded by Boulder's Climate Tax.
Want to learn more about wildfire risk in Colorado? Colorado State University has published a "Colorado Wildfire Risk Viewer" interactive map, where homeowners and business owners can identify wildfire risk, dive into local fire history and find resources about wildfire prevention and mitigation. To view the map, click here.
Wildfires are now a year-round threat in Colorado. Denver7 is committed to covering their impact and the people working to find solutions to the threat.