A pilot program to help residents protect their homes from wildfires has started in the Dulzura area, according to San Diego County officials.
The California Wildfire Mitigation Program identified high-fire risk areas and places with vulnerable populations to provide defensible space and retrofits to harden homes against wildfires, according to the county. Some measures eligible include removing vegetation, cutting down trees, replacing roofs and eaves with fire-resistant materials and more.
Chris Bilbrey became the first homeowner in San Diego to have his house rebuilt as part of a California Wildfire Mitigation Pilot Program. NBC 7 spoke with him from his new home on Thursday.
Bilbrey's home was cleared with a defensible space and hardened with with non-combustible materials, like siding, a metal door with a sealed aluminum threshold, aluminum screens, and special wood decks.
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"We’re replacing combustible materials. This here used to combustible, now it’s a fire cement board so it won’t ignite," San Diego Fire Protection District Chief Cal Hendry said. “This lumber is pressure fire treated lumber that has a 20-minute resistance to fire.”
In many cases, the work by Cal Fire/San Diego Fire Protection District is provided at no cost to the homeowner and is intended to help high social vulnerability communities and provide assistance to qualifying low- and moderate-income households.
The four weeks of renovations cost Bilbrey, "zero dollars, it didn’t cost me anything which is amazing."
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Dulzura residents can currently apply for the program here and applications will open in the future for residents in Potrero and Campo. The program could also expand to other areas in the future, the county said.
If an application is approved by the state, the county will send someone to check the home to determine how much help you can get to make wildfire mitigation changes. In some cases, the work done could help lower your insurance, according to the county.
"We will arrange for contractors to do the work. In most cases, you will not need to pay up front and wait to get reimbursed," the county said.
Funding for the pilot program is provided by a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services.
To find out if you're eligible for the home hardening program, click here. Those who need assistance with their applications can also email HomeHardening.SanDiego@sdcounty.ca.gov or call 858-974-5929.
