The City of Kamloops has launched the Community Fuel Reduction Incentive program to help residents reduce the risk of landscape and structural fires by removing cedar and juniper vegetation near their homes.

Homeowners can receive an incentive between $150 and $800 per household per year, based on recommendations from a free FireSmart assessment.

Funded by the Climate Action Fund Reserve, the program will provide $80,000 annually between 2025 and 2028. Each year, funding will be distributed on a first-completed, first-served basis between January 1 and November 1. Eligible residents must own a single-family home or duplex (non-strata) property within the City’s municipal boundary and have hazardous cedar or juniper trees, shrubs, or hedges within 5 m of structures on the property (house, shed, neighbour’s house), as identified by the FireSmart assessment.

Homeowners will have four weeks from when they expressed intent online to complete the recommended work. Work must be completed within the established time, or the funding will be made available to other homeowners. Once the vegetation is removed, homeowners must submit a request for a final visit by the FireSmart assessor to receive the incentive.

"This incentive is for our community to take proactive steps in fire mitigation and help to cover costs to remove the trees and shrubs from their property," said Kathleen Cahoon, the City’s FireSmart Liaison. "This program helps individual homeowners protect their properties by reducing fuel load around their home and contributes to our community’s overall safety and resilience against wildfires."

For more information and to request a free FireSmart assessment, visit Kamloops.ca/FireSmart.

Property owners who require assistance with the online form are encouraged to call Kamloops Fire Rescue at 250-828-3472.