The South Dakota Department of Agriculture’s Wildland Fire Division reminds citizens that there is funding available through the 50 Percent Cost Share Fire Hazard and Fuels Reduction Program.
The intention of the program is to create or enhance defensible space around homes, reducing the spread rate and intensity in the event of a fire. Treatment will promote forest health by mimicking the effects that fire would have on the landscape by removing unhealthy trees, resulting in less competition.
The program will target and remove deformed, diseased, damaged and broken topped coniferous trees while encouraging growth of deciduous trees. Conifers will be removed until an average spacing of 30 feet between the crowns is achieved. Remaining conifers will be limbed at least 10 feet up from the ground.
The Wildland Fire Division is unable to cost share projects consisting of select tree removal due to various forms of tree mortality (i.e. bug tree removal) or cleanup of slash piles, chip piles or cut and chunk material that has been left from previous treatments. Treatments larger than 6.5 acres are typically not eligible under this program, unless specifically targeted as a necessary mitigation effort for a high-risk interface area.
To determine eligibility for participation, contact Logan Brown, urban interface specialist with South Dakota Wildland Fire, at 605-394-2584. For more information on reducing fire threats around your home, visit www.gpfiresafecouncil.com.