Get Help Paying for Wildfire Mitigation

The WRWC Cost-Share Program

You may not have to cover the full cost of mitigation.

The West Region Wildfire Council (WRWC) is a nonprofit based in Ridgway, Colorado, serving Delta, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Montrose, Ouray, and San Miguel counties. WRWC uses grant funding to reimburse homeowners for a portion of completed wildfire mitigation work — historically up to 75% of qualifying project costs.

The program is available to private landowners within the wildland-urban interface (WUI), which covers most residential properties near forested land in the Gunnison Valley.

The Process

1. Request a WRWC site visit at cowildfire.org/site-visit or call (970) 615-7300.

A wildfire mitigation specialist from WRWC will visit your property, assess your risk, and determine if you qualify for cost-share funding.

2. If approved, hire a contractor and complete the work.

You pay the project cost upfront.

3. WRWC inspects the completed work and reimburses you for a portion of qualifying costs.

Reimbursement levels depend on available funding, which changes year to year. Apply early — funds are limited and often allocated before the end of the season.

This Stacks With Your Insurance Documentation

WRWC reimbursement and insurance benefits are two separate upsides from the same mitigation work. WRWC helps pay for the work itself.

Completion documentation — such as a CSL FireFile℠ report — supports your position with your insurance carrier under Colorado HB25-1182, which requires insurers using wildfire risk models to consider property-level mitigation in their rating and to offer an appeal process.

You can pursue both.

How Colorado Safe Lands Fits In

We're a mitigation contractor who works within the WRWC framework.

When your project qualifies for cost-share funding, we perform work to WRWC's specifications, align with their inspection schedule, and provide the receipts and scope documentation you'll need for your reimbursement application.

The homeowner applies directly — we make the paperwork straightforward. On completion, we can provide an updated FireFile℠ report for your insurer. Mention WRWC when you reach out and we'll walk you through the process. For other funding resources, contact the Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) Gunnison Field Office or the WRWC.

Program details current as of 2026. The WRWC is currently offering free assessments for 2026. Contact WRWC directly for latest eligibility, reimbursement levels, and application deadlines.