People who own a home – including a manufactured home – or business that was damaged or destroyed by the 2020 Oregon wildfires can receive money for using more fire-resistant methods and materials when they rebuild. Those who have already rebuilt also qualify for reimbursement.
Earlier this year, Jackson County partnered with the Oregon Building Codes Division to launch a grant program to help owners of homes and businesses rebuild after the 2020 wildfires. While the program has been successful in providing over $700,000 in grants so far, there is still plenty of money left for those that have an eligible reimbursement claim for fire hardening work done. The program is available to residents in the burn areas of the South Obenchain and Almeda fires, including those burn areas within the city limits of Phoenix and Talent. The grants apply to fire hardening work completed since the wildfires once the home or business receives a certificate of occupancy or completion. Owners also do not have to be the original owner, and the grant can be retroactive for work that already received a certificate of occupancy or completion but did not apply for the grant previously.
“Besides ensuring your property has a defensible space clear of combustible brush and vegetation, fire hardening can help to better protect your home or business from fire dangers,” said Ted Zuk, Development Services Director and Building Official for Jackson County.
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. Even if someone purchased a building in the damaged areas after the fires, they may still be eligible to receive funds for rebuilding.
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 Jackson County Development Services Department.
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.
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ELEMENT
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OPTIONS
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GRANT AMOUNT
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Roofing
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Class B or Class A
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$2,200
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External wall covering
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Must be constructed from one of the following:
- Noncombustible
- Ignition-resistant
- Heavy timber assembly
- Log wall assembly
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$1,750
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Ventilation
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Options:
- Vents designed to resist ember and flame intrusion
- Unvented attic assembly
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$350
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Overhangs, cantilevers, and projections
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Underside of eaves, soffits, cantilevers, etc., protected by one of the following:
- Noncombustible material
- Ignition-resistant material
- Exterior portion of 1-hour wall assembly
- 1 layer of 5 /8-inch Type X exterior gypsum sheathing or equivalent
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$400
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Walking surfaces of porches, balconies, and decks
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Must be constructed from one of the following:
- Noncombustible
- Ignition resistant
- Exterior fire-retardant treated wood
- Materials meeting ASTM E2632
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$550
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Windows and skylights
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Protected by one of the following:
- Tempered glass
- 20-minute fire-resistance-rated assembly
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$550
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Skirting (manufactured homes only)
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Made from one of the following skirting materials:
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$500
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Accessory structures within 50 feet of a residential or commercial building
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Improve the structure with both the roofing and the exterior wall covering elements above.
Up to two structures are eligible for the grant.
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$500 per structure; $1,000 maximum
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The opportunity to apply for the grant will be ending soon, so building owners who wish to receive funds must apply as soon as possible.
To learn more and apply online, visit https://www.oregon.gov/bcd/Pages/firehardening.aspx
Or at Jackson County’s website at https://jacksoncountyor.org/ds/General/Rebuilding-Info
Or in person and over the counter at our Wildfire Resiliency Permit Center at 808 West Main Street, Medford, between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm.
General info and/or paper application can be requested at JCRebuild@jacksoncounty.org or by calling the WRPC at 541-774-1034.