Enclosure 3A - Project Summary Form
NATIONAL FIRE PLAN COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE AND WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE PROJECTS
Application for Wildland Urban Interface Fuels / Education and
Prevention / Community Planning for Fire Protection Projects
Applicant
Applicant/Organization:
Deschutes Board of County Commissioners
Phone:
FAX:
Email:
(541) 388-6567
(541) 388-4752
dennisl@co.deschutes.or.us
Address (Street or P. O. Box, City, State, Zip):
1130 NW Harriman, Bend, OR 97701
Project Coordinator
Project Coordinator (Name and Title):
Tom Fay, Project Impact Coordinator
Organization/Jurisdiction:
Deschutes County Project Impact
Phone:
FAX:
Email:
(541) 318-0459
(541) 318-0459
tfay@dcrfpd2.com
Project Information
Project Title:
FireFree 2003-2004 Campaign
Proposed Project Start Date:
Proposed Project End Date:
August 1, 2003
June 30, 2004
Federal Funding Request:
Total Project Funding:
$30,500
$85,500
Are you submitting multiple projects? If so, please explain and prioritize:
Yes, This project has a number one priority. Other projects dovetail into this program.
Brief Project Description:
Public awareness campaign for seventh year of a successful FireFree program aimed at increasing
resident participation in wildfire defense and to mitigate losses due to wildfire. At the height of the
campaign are FireFree Clean-Up weekends in which county residents may dispose of yard debris
free of charge at county landfills and transfer stations
Project Location (latitude/longitude if applicable):
County:
Congressional District:
Bend, Oregon
Deschutes
District 2
Project Type: Check appropriate project type. More than one type may be checked. If only Box (4) is checked, use Enclosure 4.
(1)
Wildland Urban Interface Fuels Project
(2) X Wildland Urban Interface Education and Prevention Project
(3)
(4)
Community Planning for Fire Protection Project
Fuels Utilization and Marketing Project
If the applicant is an unincorporated area, define the geographic area being represented:
Enclosure 3B (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
Address these
 project implementation
items as
 anticipated outcomes
applicable:
 measures and reporting
 interagency partners





project relationship to community or natural landscape fire plans
project time frames and income
specify types of activities and equipment used
amount or extent of actions (acres, number of homes, etc)
environmental, cultural and historical resource requirements
Rapid population growth in Central Oregon is exacerbating fire/urban interface issues that in the
past decade have consumed over 60 homes and burned over 300,000 acres of federal, state and private lands
in the region. Extremely flammable fuels like bitterbrush and cheat grass fill people’s yards; shake roofs,
wood decks and wood siding still dominate local communities; and many subdivisions still lack viable escape
routes and hazardous fuel cleanup campaigns.
The goal of this grant is to extend a very successful model fire disaster prevention program called FireFree
for a seventh year, specifically by providing the materials, media coverage and other promotional tools to
inform the public of the importance of fuels reduction and specific steps each resident can take to implement
a countywide fuels-reduction effort.
This project will enable the current Project Impact Coordinator to purchase media time on local television
and radio, and to produce brochures, posters and t-shirts for distribution throughout the county year round.
The short-term outcomes, which have been experienced in previous years of this public-awareness program,
have been active participation of thousands of private homeowners/business owners in removing hazardous
fuels on their properties in the urban interface. Long-term outcomes are a significant reduction of these fuels,
with attendant reeducations in frequency of fires and increase in public safety.
The Coordinator will work closely with;
The Project Impact steering committee a local coordination group made up of representatives from local
fire agencies and district business members and local elected officials;
The Central Oregon Fire Prevention Coop, composed of representatives from the US Forest Service,
BLM, and Oregon Department of Forestry;
FireFree Committee-the volunteers who actually work with the community,
Deschutes County; and
Eleven local fire districts.
The Project Impact Coordinator will coordinate activities to ensure that the campaign will:
-Promote the existing fire disaster prevention initiative throughout Deschutes County;
-Increase public awareness for creating defensible space around public buildings and private residences;
-Encourage the use of fire resistant building materials and designing defensible neighborhoods;
-Coordinate with the county to establish successful debris days events where landowners can bring their
yard debris to local landfills without charge.
Planning for the 2003-2004 campaign as with previous campaigns will start in late summer of 2003. With
grant funding, the Coordinator will be able to secure media time and subcontract for printing of promotional
materials. The timeline for the campaign calls for distribution of promotional materials in early 2004,
intensive promotion of FireFree in Spring of 2004, culminating in several days of free dumping of
combustible debris at designated county landfill/transfer stations in April and May of 2004. This debris will
be recycled by the county as mulch. Local media will match Project Impact’s contribution to the publicawareness campaign with $20,000, and Deschutes County will provide $35,000 to cover costs of receiving
and recycling debris at fill/transfer stations.
After the campaign draws to a close the results are measured by total yards of debris brought in for disposal,
number of participants, as well as inspections and assessments of target areas.
Response:
Enclosure 3B (Page 2 of 3) - Project Evaluation Criteria
Applications for funding must include narrative responses that address the following four criteria. Within each criterion, subcriteria are listed in descending order of importance. Limit your responses to the areas provided.
1. Reducing Fire Risk. (40 points))
A. Describe how the proposal promotes reduction of risk in high hazard areas or communities, or natural landscapes.
B. Describe how the proposed project benefits resources on federal land or adjacent non-federal land, or how it protects the safety
of communities.
C. To what extent does the project implement or create a cooperative (1) fuels treatment plan or (2) community fire strategy
(include evidence of the plan if it already exists)?
D. Explain to what extent the affected community or proponent has been involved or plans to involve the affected community in a
qualified fuels education program (e.g., FIREWISE).
E. Explain how the proposal (1) leads to, enhances or restores a local fire-adapted ecosystem, and/or (2) mitigates or leads to the
mitigation of hazardous fuel conditions.
F. How will the proposed treatments or programs be maintained in future years?
Response:
A. This project promotes reduction of risk in high hazard area and communities because it continues a public
education program that teaches how to create defensible space and gives perceived value to the homeowner
through the opportunity to dispose of debris at no cost.
B. Individual homeowners creating defensible space in the interface region will help federal agencies by
reducing fuel loads around homes. Subdivisions with defensible space that border federal lands actually
protect other areas and give fire agencies room to defend homes from an advancing wildfire.
C. Fuel reduction plans in Deschutes County are carried out by Federal and State agencies, as well as private
citizens. Participation by federal and state agency members insures that FireFree program assists existing fire
plans. Additional agency grants are monitored by members of the FireFree committee.
D. This will be the seventh year of this program. Each year the participation rate has increased. Growth in
the area is over 10% per year and constant effort at education is necessary.
E. The programs leads to mitigation of hazardous fuel conditions by giving homeowners a way to reduce
fuel loads around their homes and alternative vegetation that is more fire resistant.
F. Future grants for this program will be combined with the contribution of Deschutes County and local
media. Insurance companies have been and will continue to be a source of additional resources. The biggest
resource however is the volunteers who give their time to educate and assist the community.
2. Increasing local capacity. (30 points)
A. How would the proposal improve or lead to the improvement of the local economy in terms of jobs and sustainable economic
activity? How many jobs are expected to be created or retained and for how long (please distinguish between essentially yearround and seasonal jobs)? How will this proposal link to to oher projects (or proposed projects) to create year-round jobs?
B. To what extent will this project be offered to serve as a model for other communities or natural landscapes?
C. Will biomass or forest fuels be utilized; if so, in what manner and how much?
Response:
A. In past years, this program helped create additional job opportunities for local arborists and landscapers,
hired by property owners to create defensible space around their homes/business. FireFree brochures also
advise homeowners to ensure that their roofs are fire-resistive, and this has created work for builders and
renovators and local, regional and national businesses who supply local homeowners with the materials
necessary to create a fire resistant property, home and /or business. Last year full color brochures of fire
resistant plants were developed and those were distributed to local nurseries that used them to advise
homeowners on suggested plants for their homes.
B. The FireFree program has been adopted by the State of Oregon as THE state wildfire mitigation
program. Last year starter kits were available through the Oregon Department of Forestry that would allow
the program to be started in any community.
C. Last year more that 15,204 cubic yards of debris was brought to the county landfills. That material was
turned into mulch resulting in recycling of bio mass as well as reducing the need for burning and the
resulting negative impact on air quality.
Enclosure 3B (Page 3 of 3) - Project Evaluation Criteria
3. Increasing interagency and intergovernmental coordination. (15 Points)
A. Describe how this project implements a local intergovernmental strategy or plan, or creates such a plan. Describe the plan if it
already exists.
B. Explain the level of cooperation, coordination or strategic planning through a “Local Coordination Group” for wildland fire
activities, or among federal, state, tribal, local government and community organizations. List the cooperators (a detailed list
of cooperators will be required for projects that are funded).
Response:
A & B. The FireFree program is overseen by the Project Impact Steering committee, which is made up of
25 people representing the entire Deschutes County area. Members of the committee include private and
business people as well as representatives of local, state and federal agencies. Inclusion of all levels of
government insures that the program will stay within existing fire plans. Since the FireFree program has
been in effect, it has received in-kind contributions from Deschutes County in providing space in local
landfills and transfer stations. Cash contributions have come from SAFECO and State Farm Insurance.
Volunteers on the cleanup weekends have come from the entire community including Insurance groups,
business groups, federal, state and local agencies. In addition, individual subdivisions in the Wildland
Interface are adopted by volunteers who help them develop a plan to create defensible that is unique to their
area and takes into account their needs and desires.
4. Expanding Community Participation. (15 Points)
A. To what extent have interested individuals, groups, and communities been provided an opportunity to become informed and
involved in this proposal?
B. Describe the extent of local support or opposition for the project, including any cost-sharing arrangements.
C. What are the environmental, social and educational benefits or concerns of the project?
Response:
A. When the program was first begun, focus groups were used to assess current level of knowledge of
defensible space. Victims of previous wildfires were asked what they thought needed to be included in any
education plan. As the program has progressed, additional comment has been welcomed and changes have
been made as a result of either changing goals or additional needs.
B. Local support is widespread. The FireFree program maintains the materials and runs the media program.
The volunteers in each area of the county decide what actions they will be taking in their areas. This has
meant that local officials can tailor the program and since it is a public education program, no one is forced to
do anything against their will. There is also the perceived value of getting rid of their yard debris at no cost
to the participant. We know of no opposition to this program.
C. The environmental benefits of the proposal are clear. It will continue a program that gives homeowners
the information they need to created defensible space without stripping the land. The debris that is collected
is recycled in the form of mulch reducing effects on landfills and the fact that the debris is not burned keeps
air quality at a higher level. The social and educational benefits are the new way of thinking that the program
encourages. Just as changes in attitudes about smoke detectors has resulted in the current attitude where they
are not only accepted but expected. The goal of the FireFree program is to change people’s way of thinking
about defensible space in the Wildland interface not just accepted but expected.
Enclosure 3C - Project Work Form
Tasks
Time Frame
Responsible Party
Planning, scheduling medial campaign
And special events
August 1-September 15 2003
Project Impact
Steering Committee
Update brochures and other
Promotional materials.
August 15-September 15, 2003
Project Impact Steering
Committee
Meet with media to plan campaign
August 20-September 15, 2003
Project Impact Coordinator
Work with fire districts to target fuels
Treatment on specific lots within the
urban interface
August 15, 2003-April 20, 2004
Project Impact Coordinator and
FireFree Committee members
Print signs, posters, t-shirts, brochures
September 15-October 15, 2003
Subcontractors
Media Campaign
October 15, 2003-June 15, 2004
Local radio and television
stations and newspapers,
schools and other public
agencies
Focus on FireFree spring cleanup
campaigns
February 15-June 1, 2004
Project Impact Coordinator and
FireFree Committee members.
Special events to include free dumping April 1-May 20, 2004
of fire fuels at county landfill and
transfer stations
Project Impact Coordinator,
Deschutes County, FireFree
Committee, National Forest
Service, Oregon Department of
Forestry, and BLM etc.
Write final report of impacts of the
project
Project Impact Coordinator
June 1-June 30, 2004
Enclosure 3D Project Budget
Cost Category
Description
Federal
Agency
Applicant
Partner 1
Partner 2
Total
Personnel
Subtotal
Fringe Benefits
Subtotal
Travel
Subtotal
Equipment
Subtotal
Supplies
Subtotal
Contractual
Local Media Promos
FireFree materials
Subtotal
Other
Special Event costs
Landfill recycle costs
Subtotal
Total Costs
Project (Program)
Income1
(using deductive
alternative)
1
20,000
10,000
30000
20,000
20000
500
500
35000
35000
30500
35000
40,000
10000
50000
500
35000
35500
20000
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.
85500