Fire Smart rebates back for homeowners in the area

The City of Merritt and members of Merritt Fire Rescue are reminding area residents that the popular Fire Smart Rebate Program is once again available to property owners/ tenants in the Nicola Valley.

Over the past number of years, many homeowners have taken advantage of the rebates to make their property “fire smart” to reduce the potential impact of  wildfires on their property.

Steve Rempel is the Fire Smart coordinator with Merritt Fire Rescue, and says this year the program has drawn a lot of interest.

“We (Merritt Fire Rescue) are seeing more and more people from the community buy into this program,” said Rempel. “The more people who take advantage of the rebate program, the more resilient our community will be in the face of wildfires.”

As in years past, interested home dwellers can request members of Merritt Fire Rescue to visit their property for a free assessment and to provide insight and advice on how to fire smart their their home.

“We are always happy to come and do a free home safety assessment and give you some ideas about areas that you may be able to start to get some of that work done,” added Rempel. “If you’re not sure what might apply, by all means give us a call and we would be happy to do a little walk around the exterior of your home and let you know what you can do to improve your wildfire resilient.”

As was the case in 2023, this year’s Fire Smart Rebate Program has again been expanded. Qualifying applicants can receive up 50 percent back on projects up to $5000, an increase from $1000 last year.

“We are excited about that and it has drawn a lot of interest already this year, so we encourage you to take a look around and ask yourself is my home/property fire smart and what can I do to be better protected?” Rempel noted.

Rempel added that the fire smart projects can range from installing a fire-rated roof, replacing old windows and doors with fire-rated glass and even replacing combustible vinyl siding on your home with fire-rated or non-combustible siding. However, the projects do not have to be that extensive to qualify for a Fire Smart rebate grant.

“It doesn’t have to be a major project that cost thousands of dollars,” he said. “It can be removing an old cedar hedge that’s close to your home or clearing away combustibles from your property. There are many options but it starts with reaching out.”

To find out more on the City of Merritt’s Fire Smart Rebate Program, you can call Merritt Fire Rescue at 250-378-5626 or visit the City of Merritt’s Fire Smart link at https://www.merritt.ca/firesmart/