Project Summary Form
Id Number 2006-219
NATIONAL FIRE PLAN COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE AND WILDLAND URBAN-INTERFACE PROJECTS
Application for Community Risk Assessment and Mitigation Planning
Applicant
Applicant/Organization:
Stevens County
Phone: (111 111-1111 x 1111)
Type of Applicant: (enter appropriate letter in box)
B
509-684-3751
FAX: (111 111-1111 x 1111)
A. State
B. County
C. Municipal
D. Township
E. Interstate
509-684-8310
Please Call Ahead For FAX
H. Independent School District
I. State-Controlled Institution of Higher Learning
J. Private University
K. Indian Tribe
L. Nonprofit Organization
Address (Street or P. O. Box, City, State, Zip):
215 South Oak Street Colville, WA 99114
Project Coordinator
Project Coordinator (Name and Title):
Mr. Chuck Johnson Community Fire Planner
Organization/Jurisdiction:
Washington State Department of Natural Resources
Phone: (111 111-1111 x 1111)
509-684-7474
FAX: (111 111-1111 x 1111)
509-684-7484
Call Ahead For FAX
Email:
chuck.johnson@wadnr.gov
Project Information
Project Title:
Stevens County Wildfire Protection Plan
Proposed Project Start Date:
04/01/2006
Federal Funding Request:
$
90,000
Proposed Project End Date:
04/01/2007
Total Project Funding:
$
127,000
Are you submitting multiple projects? If so, please explain and prioritize:
Stevens County is only submitting this one proposal. It will be prioritized by the Stevens County Local Coordinating Group.
Brief Project Summary: Who, What, Where, Desired Outcomes in relation to NFP Goals and Community Risk Assessment and
Mitigation Plans (This should summarize page 2).
Stevens County, in collaboration with US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, WA State Dept. of Natural Resources, all
County Fire Districts, and Rural Information Technology Center, is proposing a county-wide Wildfire Protection Plan. The Plan will
be collaboratively developed, will identify and prioritize areas for hazardous fuel reduction treatments, recommend types and
methods of treatment to protect at-risk communities and essential infrastructure, and will recommend measures that communities
and homeowners can take to reduce the ignitability of structures.
Project Location:
Latitude: 48.57799
Longitude: 117.864
County:
Stevens
Name of Federal, State or Tribal contact with whom you coordinated this proposal:
Federal Congressional District:
5
Telephone number of Contact:
Rick Brazell, Forest Supervisor, Colville N.F.
509-684-7000 Ext.
Loren Torgerson, Assistant Regional Manager, WA DNR
509-684-7474 Ext.
Ext.
Applications for funding must include a narrative response that describes the proposal. Please do not submit responses longer than
one page, single space, 12-pitch font.
Describe project including, but not limited to:
x change fire behavior
x WHO are your collaborators - are they current or potential collaborators?
Address these
through fuels reduction
x describe the relationship of this plan’s desired outcome to NFP Goals
items as
x increase community
and to any existing community fire protection plan.
applicable:
education and awareness
x project time frames and matching or contributed funds
x enhance fire protection
x tools and/or skills needed to complete project
capability
x specific project location, geographic extent, and fire risk assessment
x desired outcome
methodology
For this project, explain the level of cooperation, coordination or strategic planning, through a “Local Coordination
Group.” If you haven’t worked with a local coordination group, why not?
The project area is Stevens County, located in the NE part of the State of Washington. This geographic area totals approximately 1.6 million
acres and has a population of just over 40,000 people. The majority of the county is forested and has a frequent fire ecosystem. Current private
development, coupled with overstocked stands and poor health and vigor of the forest, has greatly contributed to the WUI problems in the
County. Demographics include developments comprising a mix of rural/urban interface, especially adjacent to N. Spokane. Community Wildfire
Protection Planning is occurring in the County but it is taking too long and costing too much money. We believe that a county-wide plan is a much
more cost effective way to approach a CWPP for Stevens County.
This proposal has the strong support of all Federal, State, County and City fire management Agencies and is backed by the political clout of all of
the County Commissioners. The Stevens County Local Coordination Group, with varied membership county-wide, gave this proposal it�¢??s
top priority for funding.
Stevens County has a history of complex, costly fires. In the last 30 years, approximately 3500 fires have occurred, costing over 18 million dollars
to suppress, costing millions more in damages and creating a high risk to public and firefighter safety during suppression operations.
Decades of fire exclusion and lack of forest management has resulted in extreme fuel conditions and significantly altered the normal Fire Regime
for much of the County. Strategic fuels reduction over the landscape, including creation of defensible space near homes and communities, will
help modify fire size, frequency, intensity and severity thus decreasing the risk to life, property, critical infrastructure, and natural resources.
National Fire Plan Grants have been utilized effectively by the partnerships in the Local Coordinating Group over the last few years to treat
hazardous fuels in the WUI. We expect to enhance implementation greatly through this planning effort.
Key community leaders are a vital part of our outreach network. A FIREWISE approach will be used to educate these individuals with a
campaign that explains the program and the consequences of no action.
Risk assessment will be done to evaluate critical infrastructure and will include transportation systems, utilities, hydrants and developed water
sources, addressing and signage, fuels/vegetation and defensible space. A current landscape assessment of fire risk as well as interface
mapping is being completed and will be included.
The desired outcome is a county-wide Wildfire Protection Plan that will provide the fire protection entities and other emergency responders with
detailed information that will allow a more efficient response. A plan that will enhance knowledge and abilities to address wildfire occurrences and
provide for public and firefighter safety.
Applications for funding, must include narrative responses that address the following four criteria. Be sure you address every one
briefly, yet thoroughly.
1. Planning for Action. (40 Points)
A. Describe your desired plan outcome and how the outcome will be measured.
B. How will the plan address :
x Fire behavior changes through fuels reduction
x Community education and awareness
x Enhanced suppression capability
C. How will the completed plan be implemented, and by whom? OR How does this plan enhance or complete
previous fire planning by the community?
D. How will the plan address landowner responsibility for implementation of this plan?
Describe your ability to complete project in one year of receipt of funds
Response:
The Stevens County CWPP will assess risks and identify mitigation strategies for guiding fuels management and pre-suppression measures to
reduce wildland fire suppression costs and damages. The plan will engage the public and provide risk assessment info and mitigation strategies
to private landowners. The outcome will be a comprehensive inventory of communities at-risk and identification of mitigation strategies that will
prioritize hazardous fuel reduction to occur strategically on the landscape. Success will be measured by completion of the plan with community
engagement in the process and by implementation of highest priority mitigation strategies on the landscape.
Prioritized fuels reduction projects will alter fire behavior by modifying fuel arrangement, distribution and continuity both vertically and horizontally
on the landscape. Fire Regimes and Condition Classes will be moved back to a more natural state.
The communities level of education and awareness will be sharply enhanced through public meetings, media coverage of the planning process
and the information gained through the process itself.
The CWPP will enhance suppression capabilities by assessing protection resources available, training and equipment needs, and fire apparatus
needs for the county. This will establish a foundation to develop plans for improvements and enhancements through grant programs and other
means.
The plan will be implemented by the many partnerships that have formed, including the membership of the Stevens County LCG. These groups
meet, as needed, to pursue projects and funding through NFP and other sources. The county-wide CWPP does not preclude local community
planning projects. It will be the umbrella document that all other CWPPs become addendums to.
Landowner education and awareness of personal responsibility will occur through community outreach, use of local fire officials in assessments
and targeted fuels reduction demonstrations.
2.
Enhancing Community Collaboration and Local Capacity. (30 points)
A. Describe your strategy for collaboration to develop this plan across multiple ownerships.
B. Identify the interested partners and members of the community who are involved in this project, and
the level of their involvement.
C.
D.
How will this project enhance local community collaboration and local capacity for cooperative action?
Describe skills or experience the community will gain through development of this plan.
Response:
This county-wide planning proposal is the next step in what has been three years of work to establish a strong Local Coordinating Group, form
partnerships with other groups having common interests, and move from State and Federal Agency partnerships to including all County
Government, County Fire Protection Districts, County Emergency Management, timber interests, environmental interests, consultants,
contractors and the public at large. Weâ??ve held numerous public and community meetings, had extensive Spokane and local media
support and have demonstrated successes on the ground. We are receiving more and more interest from the public at large and they are
hearing our message.
As this planning process moves forward, the Wildland Urban Interface will be defined on a county-wide basis. That will prove extremely
beneficial to USFS and BLM to better focus Agency fuels budgets on priority areas for treatment. Our collaborative groups are planning fuels
projects on adjacent State and private land to better accomplish the objectives across the landscape.
Skills and experience gained by community members in this planning process can be translated to other collaborative processes such as
Watershed working groups and Stewardship working groups.
3.
Expanding Community Participation. (30 Points)
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Explain the level of cooperation, coordination and/or involvement of the Local Coordination Group. List the
cooperators/members (in a broad way) of the local area coordination group.
Describe your strategy for leveraging funding. Who are the partners and what is their commitment to the
plan’s completion, including any existing or proposed cost-share agreements and their status.
Describe the extent of local support or opposition for the project.
Describe your strategy for post-plan marketing and collaboration for the successful implementation of the
next steps described in the plan.
To what extent will this project be offered to serve as a model for other communities in your sub-geographic
area, state-wide area?
Response:
The Stevens County LCG is actively involved in this planning process, either as core group members or collaborators.LCG members include US
Forest Service, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Washington State Dept. of Natural Resources, W.S.U. Extension, Rural
Information Technology Center, all Fire Protection Districts in the county, County Emergency Management, County Fire Marshall, Colville
Community Forestry Coalition, Firesafe Spokane, The Lands Council, Fuels consultants and contractors, GIS coordinators and consultants, and
interested public.
While the planning process moves forward, we are actively pursuing NFP Grants, State Fire Assistance Grants, Title 2 & 3 monies, RAC funding,
and private grant sources. All of the agencies are providing lots of staff time and support, meeting facilities, GIS & technical support and other
tools and equipment that do not show up on project budget sheets.
Local support for this project has been building for a couple of years and is considerable.
Post-plan collaboration for implementation will be through LCG using meetings, tours, mailers, websites, non-profit organizations such as Firesafe
Spokane, media coverage and our typical community outreach efforts.
This project can be used as a model for other Counties or communities.
Project Work Form
Tasks
1.Draft Detailed Project Description
2.Coordinate Maps & GIS Layers
3.Develop RFP
4.Coordinate Existing Risk Assessment info
1.Obtain NFP Funding
2.Advertise RFP
3.Hire Consultant
1.County Risk assessment
2.Coordinate fuels survey
3.Needs assessments with RFPD�¢??s
Community outreach to develop inventory of
infrastructure, suppression resources and
interface mapping.
Time Frame
Responsible Party
Grant Administrator, County Planning
Core Team, RITC, LCG
Ongoing
All
April 2006
Consultant, Core Team, Grant
Administrator, LCG, Collaborators
May 2006 to Oct. 2006
Grant Administrator, Core Team,
LCG, Collaborators, Consultant
May 2006 to Oct. 2006
Draft hazard/risk assessments, interface
maps, Plan
Consultant, Core Team, LCG, Grant
Administrator
Oct. 2006 to Dec. 2006
LCG, Core Team, Collaborators
Develop recommended mitigations strategies
and establish priorities.
Dec. 2006 to Feb. 2007
1.Draft Stevens County Plan
2.Review and edit
Consultant, Core Team, LCG,
Grant Administrator, Collaborators
March 2007
LCG, Collaborators,Core Team
Grant Administrator
1.Publication of Final Stevens County Plan
2.Circulation of Document
April 2007
Project Budget
WA DNR
Cost Category
Description
Federal
Agency
Applicant
Co. Fire Districts
Partner 1
Partner 2
Total
Partner 3
Personnel
Project Coordinator
$0
$0
$11,500
$0
$0
$11,500
$0
$3,000
$0
$13,000
$0
$16,000
$0
$3,000
$11,500
$13,000
$0
$27,500
$0
$500
$2,000
$0
$0
$2,500
$0
$0
$500
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$2,000
$0
$0
$2,500
$0
$500
$1,500
$500
$0
$2,500
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$500
$0
$1,500
$500
$0
$2,500
$0
$500
$500
$500
$0
$1,500
$0
$500
$500
$500
$0
$1,500
$0
$1,000
$1,000
$1,000
$0
$3,000
$500
$0
$500
$500
$0
$1,500
$500
$0
$500
$0
$0
$1,000
$1,000
$0
$1,000
$500
$0
$2,500
$80,000
$0
$0
$0
$0
$80,000
$2,000
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$2,000
$82,000
$0
$0
$0
$82,000
Printing, binding
$2,000
$0
$0
$0
$0
$2,000
Advertising, website
$5,000
$0
$0
$0
$5,000
$7,000
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$7,000
$90,000
$5,000
$17,000
$15,000
$0
$127,000
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
Office, Field Work
Subtotal
Fringe Benefits
Indirect Costs
Subtotal
Travel
Mileage, per diem
$0
Subtotal
Equipment
Digital cameras, GPS Uni
Laptop, printer, plotter
Subtotal
Supplies
maps
brochures
Subtotal
Contractual
consultant
GIS Mapping
Subtotal
Other
Subtotal
Total Costs
Project (Program)
Income1
___________________________________
1
Program income is the gross revenue generated by a grant or cooperative agreement supported activity during the life of the grant. Program
income can be made by recipients from fees charged for conference or workshop attendance, from rental fees earned from renting out real
property or equipment acquired with grant or cooperative agreement funds, or from the sale of commodities or items developed under the grant
or cooperative agreement. The use of Program Income during the project period may require prior approval by the granting agency.