In preparation for a hot and dry wildfire season, the City of Rossland is encouraging residents to get cash back while protecting your home and property through the FireSmart program.
Rossland’s FireSmart Rebate Program is offering property owners a rebate of up to $500 for qualified FireSmart hazard reduction work performed on their homes and yards.
All Rossland property owners can apply, especially those properties located in Rossland’s recognized FireSmart Neighbourhood Program.
“We remind residents to register soon,” said Firesmart program advisor Don Mortimer. “Rebates are limited and applicants will be processed on a first come first serve basis. Get your FireSmart hazard reduction work done as soon as possible.
“When a wildfire is approaching your property under hot and dry conditions, you will not have time to do that FireSmart work. We hear this time and again from residents that have experienced wildfire threat and property loss, don’t wait – it’ll be too late.”
Rossland homeowners will have received mailouts and door hanger invitations with information on how to register for the program. After registering, homeowners will have a free, no obligation FireSmart hazard assessment conducted on their home and yard by a FireSmart assessor.
Following the assessment, homeowners can work with the FireSmart assessor to identify priority hazard items and then perform the required hazard reduction work. Material costs and labor (reimbursed at $28.54 per hour) are tracked and homeowners will be reimbursed for 50 per cent of material and labour costs with a maximum $500 rebate per property on a $1,000 or more expenditure.
“Homeowners can collect the rebate for a variety of items,” added Mortimer.
“We’ll pay for your time and materials on replacement of non-FireSmart roof, deck and siding materials, even vents and windows with FireSmart alternatives. We will clean out gutters and close up eaves, move firewood and building materials away from the home and remove wildfire hazardous vegetation, such as long grass, coniferous shrubs and trees located close to the structure or replace them with FireSmart vegetation such as deciduous shrubs and trees.”
The Rossland FireSmart website also has program registration information posted, go to https://rossland.ca/firesmart-program/.
