3-08-22 New Grant Program Available To Help Fire Hardening Of Homes And Businesses Damaged In The 2020 Archie Creek Wildfires (Photo) -03/08/22
JOINT RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 8, 2022
New Grant Program Available To Help Fire Hardening Of Homes
And Businesses Damaged In the 2020 Archie Creek Wildfires
(Douglas County, Ore.) Douglas County Commissioners, Tim Freeman, Chris Boice and Tom Kress are pleased to announce that Douglas County is partnering with the Oregon Building Codes Division to launch a grant program to help owners of homes and businesses rebuild after the 2020 Archie Creek Wildfire near Glide, Oregon.
People who own a home – including a manufactured home – or business that was damaged or destroyed by the 2020 Archie Creek Wildfire can receive money for using more fire-resistant methods and materials when they rebuild. Those who have already started the process to rebuild or that have completed their rebuilding efforts can also qualify.
“We continue to make it a priority to find ways to help our residents and businesses impacted by the 2020 Archie Creek wildfires to successfully begin or add to their rebuilding efforts. This latest grant offers an opportunity for these home and business owners to add a few layers of extra protection to help against the threat of future wildfire destruction,” stated Commissioner Tom Kress.
‘Fire hardening’ is an important tool to help make homes more resistant to fire. Fire hardening includes actions that can be taken to make a home or business more resistant to damage from a wildfire, such as using materials for siding and roofing that resist ignition during a wildfire, installing fire-resistant windows to protect openings, or using attic ventilation devices that help reduce ember intrusion.
“These improvements are particularly effective at preventing ignition from embers, which can travel great distances from wildfires,” said Alana Cox, administrator of the Oregon Building Codes Division “We hope this program will help people affected by the wildfires build back more fire-resistant communities.”
To qualify for the program, a person must own a home or business that was damaged or destroyed in the 2020 Oregon wildfires. There is a menu of fire hardening improvements, including more fire-resistant roofs, siding and windows, that qualify for grant money (see table below). Once one or more qualifying improvements have been completed, an eligible applicant can receive grant money through the Douglas County Building Department.
To learn more and apply, visit https://www.oregon.gov/bcd/Pages/firehardening.aspx or contact the Douglas County Building Department at (541) 440-4559.
The following improvements will be incentivized by the program and the listed incentive amounts will be disbursed to eligible applicants once they complete qualifying fire hardening improvements.
ELEMENT | OPTIONS | GRANT AMOUNT |
| Roofing | Class B or Class A | $2,200 |
| External wall covering | Must be constructed from one of the following:
| $1,750 |
| Ventilation | Options:
| $350 |
| Overhangs, cantilevers, and projections | Underside of eaves, soffits, cantilevers, etc., protected by one of the following:
| $400 |
| Walking surfaces of porches, balconies, and decks | Must be constructed from one of the following:
| $550 |
| Windows and skylights | Protected by one of the following:
| $550 |
| Skirting (manufactured homes only) | Made from one of the following skirting materials:
| $500 |
| Accessory structures within 50 feet of a residential or commercial building | Improve the structure with both the roofing and the exterior wall covering elements above. Up to two structures are eligible for the grant. | $500 per structure; $1,000 maximum |
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Media Contacts: Tamara Howell, Douglas County Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist, Douglas County Public Affairs Office | Office: (541) 957-4896 | Cell: (541) 670-2804 | Email: tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us
Mark Peterson, Communications Officer | Department of Consumer and Business Services, Building Codes Division Phone: (971) 283-5405 | Email: mark.peterson@dcbs.oregon.gov
About: The Oregon Building Codes Division is part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. For more information visit: oregon.gov/bcd and dcbs.oregon.gov.
