Do you have questions about the County’s Wildfire Mitigation Cost-Share Program? View the frequently asked questions below.
By engaging communities to work together to reduce hazardous fuels on a larger scale the chance for property loss can be significantly reduced. Eligible actions under this funding program will work to increase the safety and effectiveness of first responders and promote community resilience.
Proposed projects need to be within Douglas County, owned by the applicant, and contain a wildfire hazard as determined by the County’s wildfire mitigation staff.
Yes, projects are limited to a $100,000.00 total project cost. Douglas County will contribute 75% maximum project cost.
Eligible project types include, but are not limited to:
Defensible space action must reflect Firewise® principles, CSFS standards, and mitigation best practices.
Yes, fuel breaks must reflect accepted science-based practices for the state of Colorado including the Colorado State Forest Service Guide to Community Fuel Breaks, USFS General Technical Reports (GTR) for species present, and mitigation best practices.
Community chipping proposals require group participation in close geographic proximity, i.e. on the same street, or on adjacent neighborhood streets. Applicants must apply as one entity and list the residents and property addresses that are participating in the chipping program.
The community hires a contractor for chipping or hauling if the community prefers. Material recycling is encouraged and delivered to a facility that will process the material. Material may be chipped or tub ground in the neighborhood for future use as long as it is not placed immediately adjacent to a structure.
In-kind contributions will not be considered for the match.
The Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) Franktown field office maintains a list of forestry and mitigation contractors and consultants.
Arborists and landscape contractors often do this type of work as well. It is encouraged to obtain multiple bids for your project to obtain the most competitive bid. The proposed scope of work must be approved by Douglas County wildfire mitigation staff prior to receiving project approval.
Once your application has been reviewed by County mitigation staff, we will determine your eligibility. If approved, you will receive an award notification and the next steps. Once you sign and return the award agreement, you may contact your selected contractor to begin work.
After receiving your award notification and signing the agreement recipients will have a maximum of 180 days to complete their mitigation project, though some projects will be given a longer completion deadline depending on circumstances.
Yes. Douglas County expects you to make a “good-faith” effort to maintain your fuels reduction project. Over time, treated vegetation will regrow, and mitigated fire risk will return. By being proactive, project parameters can be easily maintained. The use of common lawn maintenance tools is enough to keep vegetation in check. County Wildfire Mitigation staff may reach out at annual/bi-annual intervals to monitor treatment effectiveness.
Any questions should be emailed to [email protected]
