California recently launched a novel $100-million pilot program in collaboration with or FEMA to pay for home retrofits in high-fire areas.
of researchers and environmental advocates have pointed out that much of the state’s structure loss from uncontrolled conflagrations happens not in heavily forested areas, but in communities surrounded by brush and grasslands.
“We’ve been doing the windows one at a time as we can afford it, and there’s like 20 in the house,” he said. “It’s rough.” The idea is to simultaneously revamp entire communities or subdivisions. Researchers have found that if even just one home catches fire, it can put the whole neighborhood at risk. Cal Fire has started taking applications at“Some people are onboard with free money,” said Cal Fire Assistant Deputy Director Daniel Berlant. “Others don’t want the government’s help. That’s going to be a challenge we’re working to overcome.
“My fixed income is very low,” she said. “I figure if my house burns down, I probably just sell the land and move on.”Firefighting officials have said the process will not require the county to reassess properties. However, it’s possible that awarded funds could be taxed as income, an issue currently under discussion in the state Legislature.
Such upgrades are all the more pressing because it can be hard to evacuate these communities. State Route 94 is the only way in or out and notifying residents of an oncoming wildfire can be tricky. Heavy smoke often obscures satellite internet connections, while fire can damage cell phone towers in an area with already spotty service.
During the hot, windy summer months, Dillender said he monitors local firefighting activity using a scanner over a loudspeaker, while he and his 10 hungry goats tend to the never-ending chore of maintaining the large property.
Researchers also looked at homes exposed to wildfire during that timeframe in Arizona, Colorado, Oregon and Washington, states that have yet to mandate wildfire-resistant construction. The share of homes that survived intense conflagration was about 50%, regardless of when they were built. However, the equation becomes more complicated when talking about the value of retrofitting older homes. The report found that a full overhaul including roofing, vents, siding, doors and windows can cost upwards of $60,000.
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