This year's wildfire season has many Humboldt County residents eager to reduce their risk of loss to wildfire. Help is here! The County, under the guidance of the Humboldt County Fire Safe Council (HCFSC) is offering private landowners the opportunity to participate in the Fire-adapted Landscapes and Safe Homes (FLASH) cost-share program. FLASH provides funding and technical assistance to landowners seeking to effectively create defensible space around their homes and reduce hazardous fuels (flammable vegetation) along access routes and in strategic locations on their property.
Interested landowners who are invited to participate in FLASH will receive a free site visit and Home Risk Assessment from a trained FLASH Technician. During the site visit, the FLASH Technician will evaluate wildfire hazards and make risk reduction recommendations. Landowners are then provided with a vegetation management prescription and a reimbursement estimate, based on a per acre rate and project site conditions. Landowners can choose how they want fuels on their property to be removed—they can hire a crew or complete the work themselves.
The Program is offered countywide (excluding municipalities) and is aimed specifically at individuals who meet the criteria of senior (65+), alter-able, and/or low-income who are unable to perform this work without assistance. Meeting priority participant criteria is not a program requirement, however those who meet one or more of the criteria will be placed at the top of the list as site visits are scheduled.
Learn more about the FLASH program by reviewing the Program Requirements. If you are interested in participating, please visit the FLASH webpage: humboldtgov.org/FLASH to submit an interest form. You will be notified in early 2021 if your project has been selected. This multi-year, first-come-first-serve program will remain open until all available grant funds are committed.