Rapid City Receives FEMA Grant

Grant aids homeowners in pre-wildfire mitigation efforts

Rapid City, S.D. - Rapid City has received a FEMA Pre Disaster Mitigation Grant for replacing combustible exterior building materials in Rapid City’s primary Wildfire Hazard Zone. This grant is one of many different grant programs available through Rapid City’s Survivable Space Initiative. This initiative helps Rapid City homeowners living in wildfire hazard areas create homes and property that are more adapted to wildfire. 

Above: Areas shaded in red are within Rapid City's primary Wildfire Hazard Zone. 

Most homes destroyed during catastrophic wildfires are ignited by burning embers, or fire brands.  Combustible exterior building materials are vulnerable to these burning embers and significantly increase how ignitable the home is during wildfire events. Ignition of combustible roofs or cedar shake shingles is one of the top contributors of home destruction during wildfires along with combustible siding and decking products.

In many cases, roofs comprised of combustible material are older and are not easily replaced due to hail or wind damage. Many times the cost of total replacement is a burden that the homeowner is faced with if they are concerned about the wildfire vulnerability of their home.  These costs can be out of reach for most homeowners. As a consequence, these highly flammable and dangerous roofs remain on many homes in wildfire prone neighborhoods.

This FEMA grant is designed to aid in the cost of replacing these highly flammable roofs with Class A fire rated roofing products and put the cost of replacement in reach for the homeowner.  There is a match requirement for each home, along with fuel mitigation requirements for the property that must be performed to further reduce the homes vulnerability in a wildfire.   

The Rapid City Fire Department will be applying again soon for more combustible exterior building material replacement grants.  If you have a cedar shake roof, siding, or wooden decking surfaces and live in the primary wildfire hazard area, contact Lt. Tim Weaver for more information concerning this, and other mitigation grants available for fuel reduction on your property. Lt. Weaver can be reached at 605-394-5233 or via email at tim.weaver@rcgov.org.

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