MWPA is helping Marin County residents within MWPA’s jurisdiction to prepare their homes and properties for wildfire by expanding an online Defensible Space and Home Hardening Evaluation Reporting Program countywide.
Hardening homes and creating defensible space are the best ways to help protect homes and structures from wildfire. Home Hardening addresses the most vulnerable components of a structure with building materials and installation techniques that increase resistance to heat, flames, and embers that accompany wildfires. Defensible Space creates a buffer between a structure and the vegetation that surrounds it.
Based on the success and positive resident feedback, a pilot evaluation and reporting program conducted from May to October 2021 in Central and West Marin is now expanding countywide. The 2021 pilot MWPA program utilized an online platform where residents received a highly customized and interactive report about their property. This report included specific information on the issue(s) found with links to a range of resources to help resolve these issues.
The resources to resolve included applying for MWPA-funded grants, registering for MWPA free curbside chipping service, and links to contractors and vendors from Fire Safe Marin. The pilot program was a success and will expand countywide this spring 2022 as evaluators begin home inspections.
As one resident commented, “We are able to prioritize items, choose which ones to contract out (branches overhanging the house that are WAY up there in the air) and DIY for other items. We also found a source for wildfire-resistant vents which we might not have otherwise found, those will be installed in a week or so.”
The platform also tracks community progress in adapting to wildfire over time while providing additional data on home hardening and defensible space efforts to help guide future MWPA projects.
Another noteworthy feature of this innovative online reporting system is the integration of the Defensible Space and Home Hardening Evaluation with the MWPA Grant Program. After receiving an evaluation and access code, residents can securely view their report identifying the exact location and description of the issue(s) found on their property, resources on how to address these issues, and if applicable, a link to pursue grant opportunities to help with the financial burden of mitigating these issues. Items listed on the Defensible Space and Home Hardening Evaluation Report can be easily submitted to receive funds through the MWPA Grant Programs and are awarded as reimbursement towards work that has already been completed (with required documentation).
Based on the Defensible Space and Home Hardening evaluations conducted from May to October 2021 in Central and West Marin, over 95% of residents had issues around their home that could qualify for grants. The MWPA Grant Program has a total of $500,000 available to residents for issues found during the evaluations for the fiscal year ending on June 30, 2022. An expanded grant program for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2022 is currently under development.
“Through using these integrated systems to evaluate properties for fire resiliency and apply for grants to address the issues found, residents become empowered to make necessary changes to protect their homes and properties from wildfire,” said Mark Brown, Executive Officer of MWPA. “It’s both more efficient and user-friendly for residents and it allows MWPA to measure and evaluate progress towards the ultimate goal of creating a more fire adapted Marin County.”
MWPA is also providing funding to member fire agencies for defensible space evaluators. Last year there were 54 evaluators funded by MWPA across Marin County. This year, the evaluators will be trained to use the new online tools to produce their reports. The goal is to evaluate 1/3 of Marin homes within member jurisdictions annually, so homes would be assessed by a trained professional every 3 years.
The complete Defensible Space and Home Hardening Solution has been developed by Fire Aside, a private company dedicated to using technology to support wildfire prevention activities.
Once a Defensible Space report is available, residents can view their report on the MWPA Defensible Space Report webpage. For more information on the grant programs and to apply, visit the MWPA grants webpage. For more information on how to harden your home and create defensible space, visit the Fire Safe Marin website.
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