Grants available for precautions against wildfire

The 2021 Sunrise Fire Mitigation Grants Program provides homeowners in East County a boost in getting homes and property compliant with local regulations in case of wildfires. These reimbursable grants provide help in improving defensible space, structure hardening, prior­ity ventilation and community protection. The grants are funded by SDG&E.

Homeowners in eligible areas can reenforce their prop­erties over a period of time, as most grant programs are offered in tiers. Alpine Fire Protection District Fire Mar­shall Jason McBroom said vent retrofitting is the “coupe de gras” of structural hardening, as homeowners are ap­proved on the spot and are reimbursed the week after the work is completed. For 2021, Priority Vent grant applica­tions are due Aug. 20, with work completion and receipts due by Sept. 30.

“The whole program is a reimbursable grant, so we are highly spreading the word and educating homeown­ers to take advantage of the priority vent retrofit,” he said. “Withing structural hardening, we have tiered it for homeowners. Tier one is for the following if you are a new homeowner taking advantage of the program. Vent replacement in number one, so all homeowners need to do that for tier one.”

Structure Hardening and Defensible Space grant appli­cations are due March 3 with work completion and receipts due June 30. McBroom said in Tier 1 of Structure Hardening if a homeowner has an old style roof that needs to be upgraded, the grant programs reimburse the expenses up to $2.247.53 to offset the costs. The remainder of Tier 1 is exterior siding.

“Like replacing old lap wood finishing on their home and re­place that with a non-combus­tible or ignition-resistant siding board or stucco,” he said. “They want to do the most vulnerable side, which is on the east. Side two would be the following year, side three the next and so forth until they get all around their home.”

For more information on the Sunrise Powerlink Fire Miti­gation Grants Program and to check if personal property is eligible for the program, visit www.sunrisepowerlinkgrants. com.