Enclosure 3A - Project Summary Form 56 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: 360-902-1757 Email: mark.gray@wadnr.gov A. State B. County C. Municipal D. Township E. Interstate F. Intermunicipal G. Special District 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: Malo East 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. Malo East was ranked priority #4 among implementation projects and can be completed concurrently without conflict.. 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 Highlands Fire Defense Team Local Coordinating Group is proposing a hazard fuels reduction project for creation of defensible space around vulnerable properties in the WUI 15 miles north of Republic, Washington. The project is intended to complement a planned fuels reduction project on adjacent federal lands on the Colville National Forest. The Forest Service anticipates beginning implementation in 2005 as funding permits. Funding of this proposal will serve to extend fuels reduction work across the landscape beyond the national forest boundary by intensive hazard fuels reduction in the immediate vicinity of private improvements. Project Location: County: Malo, Washington Federal Congressional District: Ferry Name of Federal, State or Tribal contact with whom you coordinated this proposal: Fred Gonzales, National Fire Plan Staff Officer, Colville NF, USFS Steve Rawlings, Asst. Fire Staff, Colville NF, USFS Loren Torgerson, District Manager, Highland Region, NE, Wa DNR Cris McCuen, Fire Prevention Specialist, Mt Tolman BIA Chuck Johnson, NFP Grants Coordinator for NE Washington, WA DNR Jim Rees, NFP Wildlife Biologist, Spokane District, BLM John Foster, Fire Chief, Ferry/Okanogan FPD #14 5 Telephone number of Contact: 509-446-7500 509-684-7000 509-684-7474 509-634-3157 509-684-7474 509-665-2100 509-779-4766 Enclosure 3A (Page 1 of 3) - Project Narrative Description 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? A. The Malo East WUI Fuels Reduction Project area lies north of Republic, Washington in the St. Peters Creek / Art Creek / Aeneas Creek watersheds. The geographic area of the Malo East area lies generally within three miles of the Colville National Forest boundary and includes the eastern tributary drainages to Curlew Creek. The area is bordered by Colville National Forest lands to the east, where the Aeneas Creek EA is currently in the planning stage. That project proposes considerable fuels reduction activity in the wildland/urban interface. Malo East proposes to complement Forest Service efforts by extending fuels reduction work from the National Forest boundary outward to where private properties are in need of fuels reduction work to protect over 200 homes and improvements. The Malo East project is in a community that has been identified as an “urban interface community within the vicinity of Federal lands that are at high risk from wildfire” (Federal Register: January 4, 2001, Volume 66, Number 3). B. 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. C. There are several community partners involved in planning this project. Fire managers from the Ferry/Okanogan FPD #13 and FPD #14, Colville NF, and the Wa State DNR, support this proposal. Collaboration and coordination has occurred within the Highland Fire Defense Team Local Coordinating Group. These people recognize the danger of catastrophic fire 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. D. There are no community fire plans yet in this community. Fire Districts are staffed by volunteers, and local governments are understaffed for such a task. However, an application for funding assistance proposed by the Highlands Fire Defense Team Local Coordinating Group is being submitted simultaneously during this grant cycle for the Republic 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 in conjunction with the Aeneas EA on national forest land. Malo East occurs in a recognized high risk area, and fuels reduction efforts would be well placed even before a Community Fire Plan is completed. E. It is estimated that there are over 200 homes in the project area. This 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. F. 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. G. Procedures regarding homeowner applications and screening, fuels consultations, work orders, billing and payments are already in place. There are experienced consultants and fuels reduction contractors in the area and there is no problem implementing this 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. The project area is mountainous and wooded. It provides scenic views for the valley around the Curlew Creek and Kettle River area, a recreational zone important to the local economy. Rural neighborhoods are served by a network of county roads with parallel power lines. These roads and powerline corridors also serve as potential fuelbreaks. As the Malo East project proceeds, the consultant will look for opportunities to make improvements to these corridors where they may work well as future fuel breaks. 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 Aeneas Creek Project on the Colville National Forest 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 fuels 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 before and after photographs of treatment areas. These will be compiled with the work orders and costs. A monitoring field trip will be organized during the project. Members of the Highlands Fire Defense Team, the Project Coordinator, the Fuels Consultant, and county officials will visit several sites to look at how the work is progressing. 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 a weak 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 forest maintenance type work that is 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. The Malo East project may be large enough to spawn some peripheral utilization. 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. Please see Page 1, Project Narrative Statement, Paragraph D. B. The project has been reviewed and prioritized by the Highland Fire Defense Team 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 Colville National Forest’s upcoming Trout project on adjacent Forest Service lands. C. Cooperators/partners are: Ferry/Okanogan Fire Protection District #13, Republic, WA Ferry/Okanogan Fire Protection District #14, Curlew, WA Highlands District, Northeast Region, Washington State Department of Natural Resources U.S. Forest Service, Republic Ranger District, Colville National Forest Ferry County D. Local support has been enthusiastic among those homeowners who had their properties treated in the 2001 original funded project, so it is reasonable to expect more public interest and participation since this project will potentially treat almost three times as many properties. Cost sharing will occur from fire districts and the DNR in the form of publicity, project coordination , and monitoring. Enclosure 3A - Project Work Form Tasks --Obtain funding --Obtain the services of a Fuels Consultant --Obtain the services of fuels reduction contractors --Begin advertising for clients --Begin taking applications Time Frame Responsible Party April 2005 Grant Administrator May 2005 and ongoing Grant Administrator Fuels Consultant John Foster, DNR --Begin Risk Assessments and Fuel Reduction Plans with homeowners May 2005 and ongoing Fuels Consultant --Implement fuel reduction work orders. May 2005 and ongoing Fuels Reduction Contractors June 2005 October 2005 Grant Administrator Highlands Fire Defense Team December 2005 Grant Administrator --Monitoring visits to treatment areas --Project completion and accomplishment report Enclosure 3D Project Budget Cost Category Description Federal Agency Personnel Grant Administration Monitoring Applicant Partner 1 WA DNR Fire Districts 13,14 $14,000.00 $2,000.00 $16,000.00 Subtotal $4,000.00 $4,000.00 Partner 2 Total $20,000.00 Fringe Benefits $2,000.00 Subtotal $2,000.00 $2,000.00 Travel $1,500.00 Subtotal $1,500.00 $1,500.00 Equipment GPS, Clinometer, Compass $1,000.00 Subtotal $1,000.00 $1,000.00 $500.00 $500.00 $4,200.00 Supplies Media/Education Materials Mailing & Newspaper Subtotal $2500.00 $1200.00 $3700.00 Subtotal $15,000.00 $230,300.00 $245,300.00 Subtotal $249,000.00 Contractual Fuels Consultant Fuels Contractors $245,300.00 Other $5,500.00 $274,000.00 Total Costs 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.