Building a house? Worried about your defensible space? Want to reduce wildfire risk on your property? Explore the free programs and resources below to get started.
If you're interested in local programs that educate and provide financial or technical assistance, explore the links below — or call us at 209-819-9570 and we can help you find a grant or program that's right for your property.
Program list updated: March 7th, 2025
Free defensible-space, home-hardening and chipping programs offered by resource conservation districts and fire safe councils across the region.
Currently offering a home-hardening program that provides free assessments and a comprehensive report with recommendations to retrofit components of your house and improve your defensible space. Apply via their website.
Living With Fire — How to Make My Home Fire SafeCurrently offering a free brush-and-chip program for the defensible space within 100 feet of an inhabited residential home. Helps provide compliance with California Public Resources Code 4291.
California Public Resources Code 4291Multiple homeowner-assistance programs for defensible space, chipping and hazard-tree removal. They also partner with local agencies for workshops, town halls and mixers focused on wildfire resilience.
Homeowner Assistance ApplicationCoordinating Firewise Communities, which offer benefits like homeowners-insurance discounts and grant funds for your neighborhood, plus technical assistance and free defensible-space assessments. If you're in the Eastern Madera County region, ask them how to become a Firewise Community.
Federal and state programs can partially or fully pay to reduce wildfire risk on your land. Here's where to start — and we're happy to help you through it.
The EQIP grant offers many types of assistance to land owners with no requirement on the size of your land. In this region, most EQIP grants pay for brush management, weed treatment, tree & shrub establishment, site preparation and other conservation treatments — removing woody material like underbrush and dead or dying trees to reduce wildfire risk. These grants can partially or fully pay for treatment through mastication, pile burning, hand work or whatever a Registered Professional Forester prescribes. To apply, contact your local NRCS/USDA office.
Need a hand? We can help walk you through the process and assist with the paperwork.
A national program that helps neighbors work together to reduce wildfire risk and build a more resilient community.
The state law setting defensible-space requirements around buildings in or near wildland areas.
Cost-share assistance for forest landowners pursuing forest management and improvement projects.
A regional collaborative supporting wildfire resilience and forest health near the Yosemite gateway.
We'll help you find a program and get the work done. Tell us about your property and we'll point you to the right grant — then bring the crew and equipment to make it happen.
