Wildfire Partners Rebate Program

The risk of catastrophic wildfire is a real and serious threat.

In many areas, it is not a question of if a wildfire will impact your home, but when. Living in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) comes with new responsibilities and challenges. According to a 2018 Colorado State Forest Service report, 2.9 million people in Colorado are living in areas at risk for wildfire.

We have the opportunity to significantly reduce the potential for property destruction in the WUI, but this opportunity depends on you. By creating and maintaining effective defensible space and retrofitting your home with safer materials, you can make your community safer.

A well-mitigated home gives firefighters the opportunity to do their job more safely. Firefighters will not risk their lives to defend a home that does not have defensible space. Even if firefighters are unable to directly protect your home during a wildfire, implementing effective wildfire mitigation will still increase your home’s chances for survival.

The rebate program is open to all Boulder County residents, including all municipalities and the City of Boulder, who own or rent a home in Boulder County to which the eligible wildfire mitigation actions apply. 

Please use the Boulder County Assessor’s Office Property Search to determine if your property is in Boulder County. Contact the Assessor’s Office at 303-441-3530 if you need assistance looking up your property.

All wildfire mitigation activities must be performed on a property with a home located in Boulder County. Eligible wildfire mitigation activities are:

• Junk Your Junipers: removal of juniper vegetation. Please see the Junk Your Junipers fact sheet for more information on requirements.
• Fences Are Fuses: replacing the first five feet of fencing attached to a home with noncombustible material. Please see the Fences Are Fuses fact sheet for more information on requirements.
• The First Five Feet: installing noncombustible landscaping in the first five feet around the perimeter of a house. Please see The First Five Feet fact sheet for more information on requirements.
• Screen or Replace Vents: screening vents with 1/8 inch noncombustible wire mesh or replacing vents with fire-resistant or ember-resistant vents. Please see the Screen or Replace Vents fact sheet for more information on requirements.

There are various apps that can be downloaded on your smartphone to help you identify specific types of vegetation by taking a picture of the leaves. Additionally, you can use an internet search to find pictures of junipers. 

Fire-resistant or ember-resistant vents are designed specifically with honeycombs or snake-like patterns inside of the vent to block the embers from entering the vent system. There is the same amount of air flow due to the unique technology behind the vent. These vents are tested, fire rated, and easily customizable to fit any shape within your home to secure every opening.

Wildfire Partners encourages you to complete the entire perimeter given that doing one or two sides will not adequately protect the house in an ember shower.

No, you can choose to do one of the eligible wildfire mitigation activities or you can do more than one. 

Please review the fact sheets for each eligible wildfire mitigation activity: 

• Junk Your Junipers: removal of juniper vegetation. Please see the Junk Your Junipers fact sheet for more information. 
• Fences Are Fuses: replacing the first five feet of fencing attached to a home with noncombustible material. Please see the Fences Are Fuses fact sheet for more information. 
• The First Five Feet: installing noncombustible landscaping in the first five feet around the perimeter of a house. Please see The First Five Feet fact sheet for more information. 
• Screen or Replace Vents: screening vents with 1/8 inch noncombustible wire mesh or replacing vents with fire-resistant vents. Please see the Screen or Replace Vents fact sheet for more information. 

Eligible Boulder County residents may apply for and receive a rebate of up to $500 for labor and/or cash expenses to implement the eligible wildfire mitigation actions. Rebates are available on a first-come, first-served basis until the monies are exhausted. At that time, applications will be closed. 

For 2024, we have a $2.5 million budget or 5,000 rebates at $500 each. It is difficult to predict if or when this budget will be exhausted. Wildfire Partners will post to its website an announcement when available funds are close to being exhausted. 

Yes, rebates are limited to one per household per Boulder County property. 

Rebates are limited to one rebate (up to $500) per Boulder County household per Boulder County property. You can do multiple, eligible wildfire mitigation activities on a property, but you will only receive one rebate of up to $500. For example, if you remove junipers at a cost of $250 and replace the first five feet of your fencing attached to your house with noncombustible materials at a cost of $400, you would receive a rebate of $500. 

Apply to the rebate program and create a user account. Once you have a user account, you will be asked to provide your name, the address of your Boulder County property, and a mailing address. Your name and the address of your Boulder County property will be verified. You will receive an email regarding the status of your application. If your application is approved, rebate money is placed on reserve for you for 30 days to complete your wildfire mitigation activities.  

From the date the application approval email is sent, you have 30 days to complete your wildfire mitigation activities and submit your claim documentation. This must occur within the 30-day period, or the money will be taken off reserve and you will need to reapply. 

No, extensions will not be given in any circumstances. You will need to reapply for a rebate if you do not complete your mitigation and submit your claim in 30 days. To avoid this situation, please wait to apply for a rebate until you know you can complete your work and submit your claim in 30 days. 

Log into your rebate program user account.  You will need to complete the claims information and upload all your before/after pictures and any receipts and/or invoices for verification and approval. Please make certain that you take before pictures prior to starting the wildfire mitigation work. This must occur within the 30-day period, or the money will be taken off reserve and you will need to reapply. You will receive an email regarding the status of your rebate claim. Verification and approval of your rebate claim may take up to two weeks. 

All claims must include before and after pictures to receive a rebate. Please make certain that you take before pictures prior to starting the wildfire mitigation work. Additionally, please submit any receipts and/or invoices for verification and approval. Upload all supporting documents to your rebate program user account.  

After you upload all the required documentation and submit your claim, you will receive an email that your rebate claim has been verified and approved. You will receive your rebate in 6 to 8 weeks once your claim is approved. 

Yes, special provisions can be made for eligible Boulder County residents who have financial need and cannot afford to pay for the up-front costs of mitigation contractors or associated materials and supplies. Financial need is defined as falling below 80% of Boulder County’s Area Median Income (AMI) for the applicant’s household size. When you apply to the rebate program, you can provide information to determine financial need. Once verified and approved, you will receive an email regarding disbursement of your rebate assistance. 

Yes, all eligible wildfire mitigation activities, including work performed and materials purchased, must be purchased and performed within 30 days after your application is approved. 

No, all eligible wildfire mitigation activities, including work performed and materials purchased, must be purchased and performed after the date your application is approved. 

Yes, all applications for a rebate must be completed and submitted by October 31, 2024. 

Wildfire Partners will analyze the results of the 2024 program to determine if the program will continue in 2025. If successful, funding is available to continue to offer this program for several years. 

All questions related to your user account, application, claims submission and process, rebate amount, and rebate disbursement should be directed to WildfirePartnersRebates@acbcoop.com. 

All questions related to eligible wildfire mitigation activities should be directed to info@wildfirepartners.org.