MENDOCINO Co., 8/1/21 — The Mendocino County Fire Safe Council has announced a series of three public meetings coming up this week regarding the new Fire Safe Roof project, a pilot program offering rebates to homeowners who upgrade to fire resistant roofing materials.
“The roof is the most vulnerable section of a home during wildfires, and a fire-resistant roof is the most important structural protection to harden a home,” the council said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.
According to the Fire Safe Council, homeowners in high and very high hazard severity zones (which include most of the county once you get off the valley floors) may be eligible for help with the cost of installing fire-resistant attic vents, rain gutter covers and Class A roofing materials like concrete, asphalt fiberglass composition shingles and certain kinds of tile — which provide the highest level of protection from wildfire. Grant recipients would also be required to maintain 100 feet of defensible space around the structure.
Organizers hope to perform inspections and get quotes later this year and begin construction next summer. Applications are available online at www.firesaferoof.com.
Public information meetings will be held Tuesday, August 3 at the Ukiah Valley Conference Center, Wednesday, August 4 at Laytonville’s Harwood Hall, and Thursday, August 5 at the Fort Bragg Grange. All three are scheduled from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., and masks will be required for entry. The release from the Fire Safe Council has been included below:
Mendocino County is piloting a new Hazard Mitigation Grant program from FEMA and CalOES. The Redwood Complex Ignition-Resistant Construction project – also called the “Fire Safe Roof project” – will provide rebates to homeowners who replace eligible roofs with Class A fire-resistant materials. The grant can also be used to install fire-resistant attic vents and/or gutter covers. The roof is the most vulnerable section of a home during wildfires, and a fire-resistant roof is the most important structural protection to harden a home. The goals of the project are to help make homes more resistant to wildfire in the high and very high fire hazard severity zones as designated by CAL FIRE, to improve community resilience, and to prevent loss of life and property. The project is being administered by the Mendocino County Fire Safe Council.
There will be three public meetings about the grant, all from 5:30-7 pm: Tuesday, August 3 at the Ukiah Valley Conference Center; Wednesday, August 4 at Harwood Hall in Laytonville; and Thursday, August 5 at the Fort Bragg Grange. All are welcome to attend; masks will be required for all attendees. There will be a presentation on the grant requirements and an overview of defensible space, with plenty of time for questions. A recording with the same information will be available online at firesaferoof.com in English and Spanish.
To qualify for the grant, homeowners must own a home in the high or very high fire hazard severity zones in Mendocino County, which includes most of the county outside of the valley floors. Homeowners must also have a roof that does not meet the Class A standards for home hardening or a roof that would enjoy a significant increase in fire protection from a new Class A roof. The homeowner must also agree to maintain 100 feet of defensible space for the life of the roof.
The application is currently open and can be filled out online at firesaferoof.com; help filling out the application is available. Loan assistance is available for all applicants, regardless of income or credit history, thanks to a special loan program designed by the Savings Bank of Mendocino County.
The goal is to do roof and defensible space inspections and obtain quotes for the required work this fall and winter and start roof installation next summer, depending on various factors related to piloting a new program.
For questions or comments, please contact Grant Manager Elizabeth Archer at (707) 485-4598 or [email protected].
