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FireSmart

FireSmart

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City of West Kelowna, WFN and WKFR

West Kelowna FireSmart Grant Program Guidelines & Information

The goal of FireSmart is to encourage communities and citizens to adopt and conduct Fire Smart practices to mitigate the negative impacts of wildfire assets on public and private property.

The City of West Kelowna and Westbank First Nation, in partnership with the Community Resiliency Investment (CRI) Program, is offering funding to help property owners who demonstrate the use of FireSmart principles and initiatives to reduce the risk of wildfire damage to their homes and community.

This project may be subject to change in the future. Residents, community associations, and strata properties within the City of West Kelowna and Westbank First Nation are eligible to apply.

Submission deadline is October 31, 2021. All applications will be reviewed by a qualified Local FireSmart Representative.

 Qualification Requirements
  • FireSmart activities must be located in the FireSmart Home Ignition Zone which includes the home and surrounding yard area – FireSmart Non-Combustible Zone and Priority Zone 1, 2, and 3. (Zones 2 and 3 considered after addressing concerns of Home Ignition Zone, Non-Combustible Zone, and Zone 1)
  • Only activities that are recommended in the completed assessment and that are identified in Table 1 are eligible for the rebate.
  • Rebates are limited to a maximum of 50% of the total cost of the eligible activities identified in the table and no more than $500 per property.
  • Residential property owners can complete the mitigation activities themselves, or hire others to complete the work.
  • Residential property owners must complete and submit a FireSmart Assessment using the FireSmart Home Ignition Zone Assessment Scorecard.
  • Residential property owners must complete and submit a FireSmart Grant Application.
  • A before and after photo of each project area from same position must be submitted.
  • Completed FireSmart Work Hours Form
  • Receipts of incurred expenses must be submitted (if applicable).
Eligible Activities for FireSmart Rebate

Home or Structure

 

 

1

 

Roof Material  Gutters Vents and Openings

  • Install UL/ASTM fire-rated roofing (metal, clay, asphalt shingles)
  • Install non-combustible gutters and/or gutter covers
  • Remove roof surface tree needles, debris or overhanging branches
  • Install closed eaves and/or non-combustible fire-rated vents or vents with 3 mm screening

 

2

 

 Building Exterior or Siding

  • Install ignition resistant (fiber cement board or log) or non-combustible (stucco, metal, brick/stone) exterior siding material
  • Repair gaps, cracks, or holes where embers could lodge or penetrate
  • Provide 15 cm non-combustible vertical ground-to-siding clearance

 

3

 

 Windows & Doors

  • Install tempered glass in all doors and windows
  • Replace single pane window glass with multi pane / thermal window glass
  • Repair gaps in doors / garage doors where embers could accumulate or penetrate

 

4

Balcony, deck, porch

  • Install non-combustible or fire-rated, solid (no gaps or cracks) deck surface and support construction
  • Close up open deck structures or remove all combustibles below deck

 

Yard/Non-Combustible Zone (0 to 1.5 meters from Home) 

 5

 1.5 meters from   furthest extent of home

  •  Replace combustible surfaces with non-combustible surfaces
  •  Remove combustible debris, materials, fences or plants

 

Yard/Zone 1 (1.5 to 10 meters from Home)

6

Adjacent Combustibles

  • Move woodpiles, building materials and all other combustibles into Zone 2 or enclose in an outbuilding that meets FireSmart guidelines

 

7

Outbuildings not meeting FireSmart guidelines

  • Relocate outbuildings not meeting FireSmart guidelines more than 10 meters

      from home or upgrade outbuildings to meet FireSmart guidelines

8

Trees

  • Replace (with deciduous) or remove coniferous (evergreen) species

 

 

9

Surface vegetation and combustible materials

  • Cut and maintain grass to less than 10 cm or shorter
  • Replace flammable - continuous or tall growing plants with low flammability, low growing, discontinuous plants
  • Remove branches, logs and needles, leaves and debris accumulations

 

Yard / Zone 2 (10 to 30 metres from Home) and Zone 3 (30 to 100 metres from Home) 

Note: Zone 3 should not be addressed until the building, Non-Combustible Zone, Zone 1 and Zone2 have first been addressed. Consider seeking the guidance of a forest professional with wildland fire knowledge on appropriate management options for Zone3.

10

Trees

  • Thin coniferous trees or replace with deciduous tree species
  • Remove conifer tree branches within 2 meters of the ground

11

Surface Vegetation

  • Reduce surface vegetation – long grass and flammable shrubs
  • Reduce accumulations of branches, logs and debris

 

 Application Requirements & Process

Step 1

  • Download the complete FireSmart grant application package.

Step 2

  • Complete the fillable FireSmart Home Ignition Zone Assessment Scorecard to help identify specific actions that you can take to reduce wildfire risk.

Step 3

  • Take before photos prior to starting your FireSmart project. Ensure that the after photos are taken from the same position. 

Step 4

  • Conduct the FireSmart treatment as recommended through your assessment.

    • Refer to the FireSmart Begins at Home and FireSmart Guide to Landscaping manuals found in the Learn More drop down menu.

Step 5

  • Complete the FireSmart Grant Application and FireSmart Assessment Work Hours Form (found in the Grant Application package). 

Step 6

  •  Submit all documents below by email to wkfr.prevention@westkelownacity.ca

 

REFER TO SAMPLE APPLICATION PACKAGE to help you in completing your application.

You must submit the following to be eligible to apply:

 Completed 2021 FireSmart Grant Application

 Completed FireSmart Home Ignition Zone Assessment Score Card

 Photo of project area (before and after photo, same position)

 Completed FireSmart Work Hours Form

 Receipts of incurred expenses (if applicable)

Sample Application Package

  • FireSmart Grant Application
  • FireSmart Home Ignition Zone Assessment Score Card
  • FireSmart Assessment Work Hours Form
  • Example receipt

Learn More

  • FireSmart Begins at Home Manual
  • FireSmart Guide to Landscaping
  • FireSmart Canada website

 

 

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