Enclosure 3A - Project Summary Form
45
NATIONAL FIRE PLAN COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE AND WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE PROJECTS
Application for Fuels Treatment Projects
Applicant
Applicant/Organization:
WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Phone:
Type of Applicant: (enter appropriate letter in box)
A
360-902-1754
FAX:
A. State
B. County
C. Municipal
D. Township
E. Interstate
F. Intermunicipal
G. Special District
360-902-1757
Email:
mark.gray@wadnr.gov
H. Independent School District
I. State-Controlled Institution of Higher Learning
J. Private University
K. Indian Tribe
L. Nonprofit Organization
M. Other (Specify) ___Interagency Cooperators____
Address (Street or P. O. Box, City, State, Zip):
1111 Washington Street S.E. Olympia, WA 98504-7037
Project Coordinator
Project Coordinator (Name and Title):
Chuck Johnson, NFP Grant Coordinator, NE Washington, DNR
Organization/Jurisdiction:
WA State DNR, NE Region
Phone:
FAX:
509-684-7474
Email:
509-684-7484
chuck.johnson@wadnr.gov
Project Information
Project Title:
Aspen Meadows Wildland/Urban Interface Fuels Reduction Project
Proposed Project Start Date:
Proposed Project End Date:
May 2005
Federal Funding Request:
December 2005
Total Project Cost:
$249,000.00
$274,000.00
Are you submitting multiple projects? If so, please prioritize, and explain if the projects are stand alone, sequential or other:
Yes. Although this proposal is affiliated with the Aspen Meadows Community Planning Grant, it is a stand-alone project.
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).
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources is proposing a hazardous fuels reduction project around
vulnerable properties in the Wildland Urban Interface, near Cheney, Washington. This project area is the Aspen
Meadows community, immediately adjacent to the northeast boundary of the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge. This
community is at risk from frequent wind driven fires that occur in the vicinity, and is a high priority for treatment by the US
Fish & Wildlife Service, Spokane County Fire District #3 and the DNR. This project would extend fuels reduction work
outward from the Turnbull NWR boundary and complement existing work occurring on the Refuge.
Project Location:
Near Cheney, Washington
County:
Federal Congressional District:
Spokane
5
Name of Federal, State or Tribal contact with whom you coordinated this proposal:
Telephone number of Contact:
Steve Pietroburgo, USFWS - Little Pend Oreille N.W.R.
(509)
684 - 8384
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:
 project location (e.g., Watershed,
Address
neighboring community)
these items
as applicable:  anticipated outcomes

project relationship to the community risk assessment and
mitigation plan
 amount or extent of actions (acres, number of homes, etc.)
 community partners and their
 project timeline and matching or contributed funds
role(s)
 proponent’s ability to complete project
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?
1) The Aspen Meadows Community fuels reduction project lies south of Cheney, Washington and adjacent to the
northeast boundary of the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge. The community is categorized as an Intermix community
where structures are scattered throughout a wildland area. USFWS have accomplished a lot of good fuels reduction work
on the Turnbull NWR. This project proposes to complement those efforts by extending fuels reduction work from the
Refuge boundary outward to private properties to protect up to 150 homes and improvements.
The proposal involves assisting area neighborhoods and individuals plan and develop defensible space around their
homes. An application process would involve selection criteria for selecting home sites for fuels reduction and defensible
space development. Prior to beginning fuels reduction work, a fuels management consultant and the property owner
would conduct an onsite inspection and develop a strategy and work agreement. If tasks are beyond the capabilities of
an owner to do themselves, the work order will be passed to a contract hazard reduction/defensible space crew using
small mechanized equipment.
2) There are several anticipated outcomes: -- Reduce fire intensity and torching potential near private improvements, -Break up the continuity of hazard fuels conditions across the landscape, --Provide firefighters with a chance to mount a
reasonable defense against wildfire, --Build owner awareness of fire hazard mitigation.
3) There are several community partners involved in planning this project. Fire managers from the USFWS, Spokane
County Fire District #3 and the WA State DNR support this proposal. Collaboration and coordination has occurred within
the Spokane County Local Coordinating Group.These people recognize the danger of catastrophic wind driven fires in the
community and are willing to bring focus to fuels problems and prioritize mitigation strategies. More partners are
expected to become involved once the project is funded and contacts with groups and individuals occur.
4) There are no community fire plans yet in this community. Fire Districts, and local governments are understaffed for
such a task. However, an application for funding assistance is being submitted simultaneously during this grant cycle for
the Risk Assessment and Hazard Mitigation Plan (Community Fire Plan). That plan will include assessing risks,
recommending mitigation strategies, and prioritizing projects. But local fire managers recognize a critical opportunity in
timing a fuels reduction project that occurs in a recognized high risk area and is immediately adjacent to federal fuels
reduction projects and ownerships. This fuels reduction effort would be well placed even before a Community Fire Plan is
completed.
5) It is estimated that there are over 150 homes in the project area. Between defensible space treatments and road
corridor fuel breaks, the project may treat over 200 acres. These are labor intensive treatments involving, thinning,
slashing, pruning, chipping, handpiling, and moving/removing flammable fuels generated in Fuels Condition Class 2 and
3 stands.
6) Since this project proposes to continue the work of a successful program currently being administered by the Wa State
DNR, implementation can start quickly after funding. There are no entities with money to match funding, but agency
partners are available to assist in public relations, fuels education and grant administration.
7) Procedures regarding homeowner applications and screening, fuels consultations, work orders, billing and payments
are in place. There is no problem completing the project in a timely manner.
Enclosure 3A (Page 2 of 3) - Project Evaluation Criteria
Applications for funding must include narrative responses that address the following three criteria. Be sure you address every one
briefly, yet thoroughly. Limit your responses to the area provided.
1. Reducing Hazardous Fuels (50 points)
A. Describe the community infrastructure that will be protected.
B. Explain how the proposal reduces fire behavior in high hazard areas by describing the fuels to be disposed or
removed, and the techniques and timing of the treatments.
C. How will the proposed treatments be maintained in future years?
D. How will you use multi-party monitoring to improve this and future projects?
Response:
A. Protection of the homes in this community from fast moving, wind-driven fires is the objective. Fires starting on
Turnbull NWR will quickly burn into this community with potentially devastating results. Defensible space treatments
around homes and fuel breaks along roads to enhance their effectiveness will be the focus. Protection of watershed
values, the grazing resource, and the air resource for the City of Spokane will be enhanced.
B. The proposal will change fire behavior by reducing fuels in the area of private improvements. Contractors will thin
small, overstocked trees, cut brush, prune low limbs, handpile debris, chip larger woody pieces, and/or remove debris to
safe burning areas. This will decrease fire intensity, flame length, and the tendency for fire to ascend into tree crowns.
The overall effect is to reduce Fuels Condition Class from 2 or 3 down to 1. Fuel reduction projects in neighborhoods and
subdivisions will have the broader effect of breaking up the continuity of hazard fuels across the landscape.
The project meets National Fire Plan Implementation Plan goals by: --focusing on treating improvements and hazards
that would most threaten firefighters defending homes, -- increasing homeowner education by distributing FireWise
literature during the risk assessment phase, restores portions of unhealthy forests by reducing fuels condition class from
2 or 3 down to 1, --collaborating across agency lines to prioritize common goals, --achieving fuel reduction goals in the
wildland/urban interface where adjacent to federal lands, --planning cross-boundary fuels work both by this grant and the
work being done on Turnbull N.W.R. to achieve a coinciding implementation schedule, --monitoring results so work can
be improved during the project and in the future.
C. Many citizens do not know what a safe fuel condition looks like. Once the initial time consuming and financial
expense of fuels reduction takes place, a public example has been created. Past experience in this program results in
enthusiastic landowners that can see what to do, and why it will lessen fire danger. Homeowners have been much more
willing to do small maintenance chores with weed eater and rake after the big, labor-intensive fuel reduction work has
been completed.
D. The fuels consultant will be required to take GPS points and before and after photographs of the treatment areas.
These data will be compiled with the work orders and costs figures A monitoring field trip will be organized during the
project. Partners in this project and in the Spokane County Local Coordinating Group will visit sites to view work
progression. Appropriate changes or recommendations will be incorporated into the project and noted for inclusion in
future projects.
Enclosure 3A (Page 3 of 3) - Project Evaluation Criteria
2.
Increasing Local Capacity (25 points)
A. How would the proposal improve or lead to the improvement of the local economy in terms of jobs and
sustainable economic activity?
B. How many jobs are expected to be created or retained and for how long? (Please distinguish between
essentially year-round and seasonal jobs).
C. What tools and skills will be gained or utilized as a result of this project?
D. Will biomass be utilized; if so, in what manner and how much?
Response:
A. The project will benefit the economy by paying local workers. The tasks will likely include equipment rental and repair
at local saw shops. Property values will be increased. The potential economic damage to the local economy will be
lessened as the potential for catastrophic fire and it effects is reduced.
B. Financial estimations of project costs figure utilizing one Fuels Consultant and a three person work crew for at least
200 days. The work must be done in non-snow months, so the contractor may opt to hire two crews to get the work done
in half the time. The project is seasonal extending for less than 1 year.
C. The consultant and the contract workers will be doing fuels reduction work; different than typical logging work. There
will be work with chainsaws, pruners, brush cutters, and chippers. They will gain an understanding of the kinds and
volumes of material that can be generated by fuels reduction work mostly involving small diameter vegetation. As the
workers and homeowners see what and how much debris is generated, a greater understanding will develop about
feasibility of any economic utilization.
D. Biomass is beginning to be appreciated locally as landscape mulch and livestock bedding. Such utilization has been
limited to homeowners. As markets improve, better utilization will occur..
3.
Demonstrating Community and Intergovernmental Collaboration (25 Points)
A. How will this project implement a community risk assessment and mitigation plan? Include name of plan, date
it was prepared, and local contact to get a copy of the plan if requested.
B. How has this treatment been coordinated with adjacent landowners and local/State/Tribal/Federal agencies?
C. Identify the cooperators/partners involved in implementation of this project.
D. Describe the extent of current local support for the project, including any cost-sharing agreements.
Response:
A. There is a Community Risk Assessment Grant submitted for funding this Grant cycle. However, fuels reduction
treatments were recognized as a necessary mitigation strategy now..
B. The project has been coordinated with USFWS and Spokane Fire District #3. It has been reviewed and given a high
priority by the Spokane County Local Coordinating Group. This team is heavily represented by local, state, and federal
agencies. Through this collaboration, the group recommended fuels reduction work adjacent to the Turnbull National
Wildlife Refuge.
C. Cooperators/partners are:

Spokane Fire Protection District #3, Cheney, WA

USFWS Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge

Arcadia District, Northeast Region, Washington State Department of Natural Resources

Firesafe Spokane, a non-profit organization
D. Local support has been very positive in early outreach efforts. More public interest and participation is expected once
outreach and demonstration homes are completed. Cost sharing will occur from DNR and Fire District 3 in the form of
outreach, education, publicity, project coordination assistance, and monitoring assistance.
Enclosure 3A - Project Work Form
Tasks
Time Frame
Responsible Party
April 2005
Grant Administrator
Begin advertising for clients
and taking applications
May 2005 and ongoing
Grant Administrator & Fuels
Consultant
Begin Risk Assessments and Fuel
Reduction Plans with homeowners
May 2005 and ongoing
Fuels Consultant
Implement fuel reduction work
orders.
June – November 2005
Fuels Reduction Contractors
Obtain funding
Obtain the services of fuels
consultant and contractors
Quality Control
Reporting Requirements
Project
completion/accomplishment report
June – November 2005
Contract Administrator
As needed
DNR Olympia & Grant
Administrator
December 2005
Grant Administrator
Enclosure 3D Project Budget
Cost Category
Description
Federal
Agency
Personnel
Grant Administration
Community Meetings
Subtotal
Applicant
Partner 1
WA State DNR
Spok. Co. RFD #3
$16,500.00
$2,000.00
$18,500.00
$1,000.00
$1,000.00
Partner 2
Total
$19,50
Fringe Benefits
$3,100.00
Subtotal
$3,100.00
$3,10
Travel
$1,900.00
Subtotal
$1,900.00
$1,90
Equipment
Subtotal
Supplies
Media/Education Materials
$500.00
$500.00
Subtotal
$500.00
$500.00
Subtotal
$223,500.00
$15,000.00
$238,500.00
$238,50
$10,000.00
$10,00
$1,00
Contractual
Fuels Contractors
Fuels Consultant
Other
Quality Control
Subtotal
Total Costs
$10,000.00
$249,000.00
$274,00
Project (Program) Income1
(using deductive alternative)
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.