The Five-Step Defensible Space Rebate Process

                 Available to most California and Nevada Residents in the Lake Tahoe Basin

Beginning on May 1, 2008, the Nevada Fire Safe Council will provide financial assistance to Lake Tahoe Basin residents who comply with defensible space recommendations related to vegetation management. Eligible participants can receive a rebate of 50% for vegetation management costs up to $1000. This program is limited to residents living within the North Tahoe, North Lake Tahoe, Lake Valley, Meeks Bay, and Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection Districts. Funds are limited. Terms and conditions apply. Eligible residents can receive their rebate by following the five-step process below.

STEP ONE: Get an Inspection. Contact your local fire protection district to schedule a defensible space inspection. Contact information can be found on bottom of this page. Fire protection professionals will perform an inspection with the homeowner or homeowner’s representative to educate them on the steps necessary to comply with defensible space recommendations. The homeowner will be given two copies of the inspection form with written recommendations.
STEP TWO: Get a voucher. Contact the Tahoe Basin Region of the Nevada Fire Safe Council at 1-877-LT-NVFSC to receive a numbered voucher that places you on the rebate list. Vouchers expire within 45 days of issuance. Participants will also be provided a list of contractors that have participated a defensible space workshop. Residents who are not a member of the Nevada Fire Safe Council will be asked to join at the nominal fee of $20.
STEP THREE: Get fire safe. Pick a contractor from the list provided and complete the tree and brush removal recommended in Step 1. The homeowner is responsible for insuring that the contractor completes ALL of the vegetation and hazardous debris removal outlined in the initial inspection. The homeowner is responsible for paying the contractor directly. Any work done in addition to vegetation removal recommended in the initial the inspection form is the sole financial responsibility of the property owner.
STEP FOUR: Get a rebate evaluation. Once the work is complete, contact the Tahoe Basin Region of the Nevada Fire Safe Council at 1-877-LT-NVFSC to schedule a rebate evaluation. NVFSC staff will insure that the work is completed in accordance with the initial inspection. At this time, the property owner must provide NVFSC staff with the following: (1) Both copies of the inspection form from Step 1, (2) A copy of the contractors invoice, and (3) the numbered rebate voucher received in Step 2.
STEP FIVE: Get a rebate. If the property owner has taken the necessary vegetation management steps, NVFSC staff will submit the inspection form, contractor invoice, and voucher for the rebate. Rebate checks will be mailed to homeowners within 21 days of the completed evaluation.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:  Rebates are available on a “first come, first serve” basis. Funding is limited. NVFSC will maintain a list of homeowners who wish to receive the rebate and vouchers will be issued accordingly. Rebates will not be issued without first receiving a voucher from NVFSC. Vouchers expire within 45 days of issuance. Expired vouchers will be renumbered and reissued. Extensions will be granted on a case-by-case basis for incomplete work. Rebates will be given for work performed according to vegetation management as specified in the defensible space inspection. Work performed outside the scope of the defensible space inspection is not eligible for the rebate and is the sole financial responsibility of the property owner. Work that is part of the inspection but is not related to vegetation management is the sole financial responsibility of the property owner and is not eligible for the rebate. (eg. Cleaning gutters, moving firewood 30 feet from the structure, enclosing decks, screening attic vents, etc.) A list of contractors who have attended a defensible space training workshop will be provided to homeowners. It is recommended contractors on this list be used on your property. Property owners who do their own work are not eligible for a rebate of any kind. The rebate evaluation will determine the rebate amount, if any, that a homeowner is eligible to receive. The rebate is limited to 50% of the actual cost of defensible space vegetation management up to $1000. For example, a homeowner paying $600 for vegetation removal is eligible for a $300 rebate. A homeowner paying $3200 for vegetation removal is eligible for a $1000 rebate. Rebate evaluations will be tracked in a central database and property addresses will be provided to the fire protection districts.

Contact Information
The Nevada Fire Safe Council:
Toll Free 1-877-LT-NVFSC
Local Calls: 530-543-FIRE

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