Bill to help Coloradans protect their homes from wildfires making its way through State House
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The threat of losing everything in a wildfire is a very real possibility for many Coloradans. Now, some legislators are trying to pass a bill that would help people protect their homes from wildfires.
HB23-1273, Creation Of Wildfire Resilient Homes Grant Program, would allow homeowners to apply to receive a grant for retrofitting or improving a house or another structure on a homeowner's property.
The House Agriculture, Water, and Natural Resources Committee passed legislation to distribute funds to help homeowners better protect their properties from wildfire damage Thursday.
The prime sponsor of this bill, Rep. Marc Synder, said the grant would allow people to do anything from putting a flap on their washers and dryers to prevent a fire or replacing their decking with non-flammable material.
"It's all common sense, but we really want to build that consciousness with homeowners, homebuyers, and developers, "said Synder.
To receive a grant, a homeowner must apply to the Division of Fire Prevention and Control. When awarding grants, the Division of Fire Prevention and Control will be considering the location of the homeowner's property, the type of improvement proposed by the homeowner, and any other criteria established by the Division of Fire Prevention and Control.
The bill would also create the wildfire resilient homes grant program cash fund to award grants and to promote best practices for structure hardening.
This comes over a year after Colorado's most destructive wildfire, the Marshall fire in Boulder that burned over 1,000 homes.
The Pikes Peak area isn't a stranger to wildfire devastation either. Eleven years ago, the Waldo Canyon Fire in Colorado Springs burned more than 300 homes.
If the bill passes, the state treasurer is required to transfer $2 million from the general fund to the wildfire resilient homes grant cash fund.
This proposed bill is now headed to the house floor for second reading. To keep up with the bill's progress, click here.
