Monrovia Fire Hazardous Tree Removal Program in High Fire Zone

Through a competitive grant from the California Fire Safe Council and the US Forest Service, the Monrovia Fire Department is offering a 50/50 cost-share program to assist residents in removing palms and other fire-hazardous trees.

You will pay only 50% of the removal cost and the City, through grant funds, will pick up the rest.

Basic Requirements for Eligibility:

• You must live in the Monrovia High Fire Hazard Zone. (see attached brochure below)
• You must be the homeowner or have the homeowners written consent.
• The tree must belong to you.
• The tree must be fire-hazardous. (see brochure below for details)
• You must be willing to pre-pay your 50% match to the Monrovia Fire Department
• Eligibility is only for tree removal. Tree trimming is not eligible for the program.
• The City-approved contractor must remove all the wood from the side as wood-piles are a frequent fire hazard.
• Tree removal work must be completed by January 31, 2015.

Limited grant funds are available - first-come, first-served

How it works:

1. Contact the Monrovia Fire Department Brush Hotline at (626) 256-8109 or email rwing@ci.monrovia.ca.us. Provide your address, tell us how to contact you, describe the tree or trees that you want to remove and why you consider them to be fire-hazardous. This puts you on the list but does not obligate you to participate in the program.
2. The Monrovia Fire Department will call you back to discuss the project and arrange for an inspection/site walk with staff and the contractor’s representative.
3. After the site walk, you will be re-contacted with eligibility status and costs to complete the project.
4. If you choose to proceed, you will need to visit City Hall, sign an agreement with the City, and deposit your 50% share of the project costs.
5. Monrovia Fire Department staff will coordinate with you and the contractor for the actual removal date. (In order to secure the lowest possible cost, project scheduling will be done for maximum efficiency, so please plan to accommodate the contractor’s schedule. You will want to be onsite for the tree removal to oversee the work, open gates, etc.)
6. It is highly recommended that you send “before, during and after” pictures to the Fire Department to be included in our Grant Report. Please try to get someone to photograph you with the tree beforehand, and again, in the same place after the work is complete, showing how you have reduced flammable fuels and improved your home’s wildfire survivability.
7. You will also need to record all of your hours spent working on this project and report them to the Fire Department. Your hours are valuable and contribute to the work of mitigating fire hazards in your neighborhood; This project can’t be done without your help!
8. Once the work is satisfactorily complete, the City will pay the contractor the remaining 50% due.
9. On receipt of your photos and record of hours, you are done, and can enjoy a safer Defensible Space.