Under the FireSmart Community Funding and Supports program, the CSRD can use grant funding to offer a local rebate program to home owners on private land and First Nations land that complete eligible FireSmart activities on their own properties. To be eligible for funding, a rebate program must address the goals of FireSmart and follow the requirements outlined.
The goal of FireSmart is to encourage home owners to conduct FireSmart practices on their property to reduce damages and minimize the hazards associated with wildfire. These practices should aim to:
- Reduce the potential for an active crown fire to move through private land.
- Reduce the potential for ember transport through private land and structures.
- Create landscape conditions around properties where fire suppression efforts can be effective and safe for responders and resources.
- Treat fuel adjacent and nearby to structures to reduce the probability of ignition from radiant heat, direct flame contact and ember transport.
- Implement measures to structures and assets that reduce the probability of ignition and loss.
Approved applicants (CSRD) are required to use the following requirements:
Rebates are limited to 50 per cent of the total cost of the eligible activities and no more than $500 per property.
Areas of higher wildfire risk, such as neighbourhoods adjacent to the forested edge and/or areas that fall in an overall high to extreme category, should be prioritized for rebates. Current CWPPs or other community plans should be used to decide where to offer a FireSmart rebate program.
To qualify for a rebate, the home owner must:
Have a FireSmart Assessment of their property, conducted by a qualified Local FireSmart Representative, that identifies the property in a moderate, high or extreme category.
Please note: The only acceptable FireSmart assessment forms are the FireSmart Canada Community Recognition Program Wildfire Hazard Assessment form and the FireSmart Home Assessment Score Card, both available from the FireSmart Canada website.
Complete activities that are recommended in the assessment and that are eligible under the FireSmart Community Funding and Supports program, limited to:
- Roofing: remove combustible debris and overhanging branches
- Siding: remove combustible debris, create 15 cm ground-to-siding non-combustible clearance
- Decking: remove all combustible material from under or adjacent to deck, relocate firewood piles
- Landscaping: ensure 1.5 metre horizontal non-combustible surface perimeter along the outer walls of the primary structure, plant low density of fire-resistant plants, remove woody debris, remove flammable plants
- FireSmart Priority Zone 1: remove material that would easily ignite, thin and prune trees, clean up accumulations of fallen branches, remove dry grass and needles
- FireSmart Priority Zone 2: plant deciduous trees, remove standing dead and coarse woody debris, remove unmaintained grasses, ensure flammable shrubs are well spaced, remove low tree branches below two metres from the ground
The approved applicant (CSRD) must assess the FireSmart activities that are conducted by home owners and review costs (e.g. receipts and/or proof of labour) before approving rebates. This can be achieved by the LFR (preferably the same one who carried out the initial assessment) who must verify the work submitted for rebate was completed (ex. by conducting a follow-up site visit).
The LFR completes the CSRD Rebate Application form and submits it to the CSRD FireSmart Coordinator (by email or in person) who will check it over and confirm it is all correct.
The CSRD FireSmart Coordinator sends or drops off the verified Rebate Applications to the CSRD Shuswap Emergency Program (SEP) staff along with any necessary receipts or proof of work.
SEP tracks FireSmart grant financials and submits documents for payment to issue a cheque to homeowner.