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:
Cindi Confer, L.T. Murray/Wenas Wildlife Area, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Phone:
FAX:
Email:
(509) 925-6746
(509) 925-4702
confecjc@dfw.wa.gov
Address (Street or P. O. Box, City, State, Zip):
201 N. Pearl St. Ellensburg, WA 98926
Project Coordinator
Project Coordinator (Name and Title):
Cindi Confer, Manager L.T. Murray/Wenas Wildlife Area (W.A.)
Organization/Jurisdiction:
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW)
Phone:
FAX:
Email:
(509) 925-6746
(509) 925-4702
confecjc@dfw.wa.gov
Project Information
Project Title:
L.T. Murray Wildlife Area Fuels Management/Habitat Improvement Project
Proposed Project Start Date:
Proposed Project End Date:
October 1, 2003
June 30, 2009
Federal Funding Request:
Total Project Funding:
Yes, one for a select area on the W.A. (with
ground work beginning this year), and this one (planning phase beginning this year).
Are you submitting multiple projects? If so, please explain and prioritize:
Brief Project Description:
Landscape level planning and implementation of a project on the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area to
identify, prioritize, and mitigate areas at highest risk of catastrophic fire. Implementation of this plan
will improve forest health through use of mechanical thinning, slash piling, and burning throughout
the L.T. Murray W.A., as prioritized by the plan.
Project Goal: Perform fire history analysis, baseline inventory assessment, planning, coordination,
and mapping activities that will prepare the L.T. Murray W.A. for fuels treatments. These fuels
treatments will reduce the impacts of potential wildfires and benefit wildlife and vegetation
dependent on a high-frequency low-intensity fire regime. This will include the reintroduction and
maintenance of fire in the ecosystem through the use of prescribed burning. The desirable
outcome will be a plan for the W.A. that provides prescriptions and a strategy for fuels treatments
integrated with prescribed burning, and includes a commitment to regular monitoring of the effects
in order to make adaptive changes during the course of the project and beyond.
Project Location (latitude/longitude if applicable):
County:
Congressional District:
N 47 04.229’ W 120 44.163’
Kittitas County
14th
Project Type: Check appropriate project type. More than one type may be checked. If only Box (4) is checked, use Enclosure 4.
(1)
(2)
x
Wildland Urban Interface Fuels Project
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:
L.T. Murray Wildlife Area, approximately 15 miles west of Ellensburg, WA.
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
Response:
 Project Location: The L.T. Murray W.A. is located East of the Cascade Crest in Central Washington,
approximately 15 miles West of the city of Ellensburg. It lies South of the communities of Cle Elum, Thorp, and the
Elk Heights, Sunlight Waters, and Sky Meadows developments. Near the Eastern borders of the W.A. are the Circle H
Holiday Ranch, Lazy F Youth Camp and Retreat Center, Manastash Ridge trails system, and the Manastash, High
Valley, and Meadowview development properties. USFS lands form the Western border.
 Project Implementation will involve 2 phases. The planning phase will consist of the following:
a. Fire history analysis, analysis of fuels accumulations.
b. Assess and inventory stands to determine pretreatment conditions, cultural resources, geographic features,
presence and abundance of plant and wildlife species, and habitat types. Identify other needs.
c. Map and develop Geographical Information Systems (GIS) layers including, but not limited to, cultural
resources, geographic features, and plant and wildlife communities. A layer representing silvicultural
features including stand by species composition, age composition, and density is desired.
d. Develop broadscale prescriptions for fuels treatment and wildlife habitat improvement strategies.
e. Develop a monitoring protocol.
f. With the above information (a-d) complete an adaptive fuels management plan for fuels treatment to reduce
catastrophic wildfire potential and restore fire to fire-adapted plant communities.
The implementation phase will carry out the above plan (f) through the use of stand thinning, prescribed burning,
slash piling and burning, other fuels manipulation, and monitoring of the effects in order to make adaptive changes.
 Anticipated Outcomes will be the reduction of both catastrophic wildfire potential and risk to high hazard
communities (see the ones listed above under location), as well as the enhancement of wildlife habitat.
 Measures and Reporting: The W.A. Manager will be responsible for the submission of annual progress reports,
and costs and expenditures will be tracked through the WDFW FASTRACK Financial Program.
 Interagency Partners: United States Forest Service (USFS), United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR),
Washington Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), Central Washington University (CWU), Washington
Conservation Corps (WCC), Kittitas County Department of Building and Fire Safety, Kittitas County Fire Districts 1-8
(mutual aid agreements with the cities of Ellensburg, Kittitas, Cle Elum, South Cle Elum, and Roslyn).
 Project Relationship to Community or Natural Landscape Fire Plans: The project will be based on landscape
level planning, utilizing the natural topography and reduced fuels loading to minimize the potential for a catastrophic
fire impacting communities within the area.
 Project Time Frames and Income: The project will be completed in 2 phases. The first phase will be to evaluate
the pretreatment conditions and develop a plan for treatment. This will occur over an approximate two-year period
beginning October 1, 2003. The second phase will begin in the fall of 2005 with potential bid considerations, hiring,
and contracting, and will continue into the spring of 2006 with the field boundary layout work. Thinning and piling
will continue through 2008. Spring prescribed burnings will begin in 2007 and be completed in 2009.
 Specify Types of Activity and Equipment Used: Mechanical thinning equipment will be used where terrain
permits (on lesser slopes a feller/processor, and on slopes from about 15% to 45% a feller/buncher). Some steeper and
rougher terrain will require hand thinning. A chipper may be utilized to additionally reduce fuels loading after thinning.
 Amount or Extent of Actions (acres, number of homes, etc): The acreage under consideration for prioritization
and planning will be the 33,000 timbered acres of the total 40,000 acre North L.T. Murray Wildlife Area. The actual
implementation of the thinning and prescribed burning will involve less acreage and will be defined by the plan.
 Environmental, Cultural, and Historical Resource Requirements: State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA)
rules will be followed. An archaeologist will be contracted to assess the cultural and historical resource requirements.
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. The W.A. has been rated “HIGH RISK” under the Federal Risk Assessment and Mitigation Strategies (Jan.
2003). Landscape level planning will incorporate the goal of reducing the risk in the communities of
Ellensburg, Cle Elum, Thorp, and residential development areas by properly managing the fuels on the W.A.
B. Complementary thinning projects are complete on some WDNR lands within the W.A., and on some USFS
lands along the western border. Reducing the risk of catastrophic fire on the W.A., providing bands of
defensible space to allow fire control, and positioning buffers in areas near development will promote the safety
of nearby communities as well. These agencies will cooperate in encouraging similar efforts nearby.
C. This project is based on creating a fuels treatment plan and fire strategy for the W.A. To be successfully
implemented, it must be a cooperative effort involving agencies and communities impacted by it.
D. WDFW has been in contact with the Kittitas County Dept. of Building and Fire Safety and the Central Cascade
Local Cooperation Group regarding the proposed project. Both will be consulted where FIREWISE and the
fuels education component is concerned. Interpretive signs and visits to the project areas are planned.
E. Fuels treatment and restoration of fire to the landscape will reduce the potential for dangerous stand
replacement type wildfires, and enhance wildlife habitat that has deteriorated due to 100 years of fire exclusion.
F. Over time the fire regime indigenous to the vegetation types of the W.A. will be maintained through the use of
prescribed fires, thinning, and other fuels manipulation tools identified in the plan. An effective monitoring
protocol will be key in the efficient maintenance of treatments.
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 other 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. Both phases of the proposal will improve the local economy by the presence of individuals involved in the
assessment, planning, and implementation of the project. These contractors and employees will purchase goods
and services from the surrounding communities (Ellensburg, Thorp, Cle Elum, and the rest of Kittitas County).
The expected utilization of small diameter timber will further increase local capacity. The long-range goal will
be to complete fuels management planning and implementation for all of the 33,000 timbered acres on the
W.A. over the next 10 to 15 years. It is anticipated that this project might only allow time and funding to
address implementation on up to 15,000 acres. A continued implementation project beyond 2009 will produce
further economic benefit to the surrounding communities.
B. This project will serve as a demonstration of what can be achieved in small rural communities in the Northwest.
Similar landscape level plans and projects to reduce wildfire potential and enhance wildlife habitat will be
considered for other locations as a result of public involvement, and regular visitors to the L.T. Murray W.A.
viewing the progress. Several hundred thousand people visit the L.T. Murray W.A. annually for recreation,
hunting, and fishing.
C. Fuels treatment will enhance the forage habitat for elk and mule deer, opening up presently overstocked,
overcrowded stands for their grazing utilization. It is expected that the small diameter timber will be utilized
for chips, pulp, and other market processes as well.
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. This is a WDFW project that will involve WDNR in both the planning and implementation phases. Planning
related to adjacent ownership within the W.A. by these two state agencies will be especially critical, due to the
checkerboard ownership throughout the project area. The Cle Elum Ranger District will be consulted for
regular input as the planning progresses. The incorporation of this project into existing fire plans will be
facilitated through the Central Cascade Local Cooperation Group and the Kittitas County Department of
Building and Fire Safety, both of whom have been contacted about the project. The GIS layers to be completed
for the project will dovetail with work already done in Kittitas County (project 01-010) as an addition to
countywide fire planning and tracking of fuel reduction/mitigation projects.
B. Input will be solicited from local government, community organizations, tribal entities, and other state and
federal agencies. Expected participants would include, but not be limited to, a representative of Kittitas County
government (Kittitas County Fire Marshall has been contacted), the Kittitas County Field and Stream Club,
Kittitas Audubon Society, Central Cascade Local Cooperation Group, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
(RMEF), Central Washington University (CWU), and the Boise Timber Co. (all of which have been contacted
concerning the project). Additionally planned to be included are the US Bureau of Reclamation (USBR),
Yakama Indian Nation, Sky Meadows Homeowners Association, Elk Heights Homeowners Association, High
Valley Development, and Meadowview Development.
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. This is a planning and implementation project that will continue to draw in participants as it progresses. We are
currently making contacts with groups and individuals to begin to provide that opportunity. Contacts already
made and those yet to be contacted are listed above in 3.B. Letters of support will be included with this
application/submission from some that we know should be informed and involved, and others will surface as the
process continues.
B. Local support has been good in these initial stages. No public opposition to such a project has been encountered
and feedback from the above listed groups and agencies has been very positive.
C. Environmental benefits will be revealed, as a result of this planning effort, through increased quality and quantity
of forage for big game, protection of soil and water resources, improvement of vegetation health, disease control,
retention of thermal and hiding cover, and other habitat enhancements. Social benefits will be in the form of
temporary jobs in the planning and evaluation process, jobs in the implementation of the plan, improved hunting
and fishing resulting from habitat improvement, and the purchase of goods and services in Kittitas County by
those involved in this project. Education of the public as to the beneficial components of the plan will be a
primary concern to be addressed by visits to the W.A. and interested group involvement in some volunteer work
(both interpretive and labor oriented). CWU graduate and undergraduate students will be involved in the research
and data gathering for planning.
Enclosure 3C - Project Work Form
Tasks
Time Frame
Responsible Party
Analysis, Inventory and Assessment:
Air Photo Stand Assessment
Mapping and GIS Layers
Field Stand Assessment
Forest/Veg
Archaeology
Writing and Development of Prescriptions
and Strategies
October 2003 through Sept. 2005
January 2004 through Sept. 2005
WDFW, CWU Students
WDFW, CWU Students
WDFW, Contract Foresters
WDFW, Contract Foresters
Contract Archaeologist
WDFW, Contract Foresters
Writing and Development of Monitoring
Protocol
April 2004 through Sept. 2005
WDFW, Contract Foresters
Writing and Development of Plan
April 2004 through Sept. 2005
WDFW, Contract Foresters
Public Involvement
October 2005 through Dec. 2005
WDFW
SEPA, Forest Practice Applications
January 2006 through March 2006
WDFW
Writing and Development of Operational
Contract, Field Boundary Layout
January 2006 through April 2006
WDFW
Advertise Project, Accept and Award
Bids
March 2006 through April 2006
WDFW
Hire Contractors
April 2006
WDFW
Complete Thinning Contract Work,
Burning, and Administer Contract
Compliance
May 2006 through June 2009
WDFW
Enclosure 3D Project Budget
Cost Category
Description
Personnel
WDFW/WCC
WDNRCrew
WDNR/Fire
Subtotal
Federal
Agency
Applicant
$83,765
WDFW
$156,037
765
$83,765
$156,037
Fringe Benefits
WDFW
WDNRCrew
WDNR/Fire
Subtotal
Travel
WDFW/WCC
WDNRCrew
WDNR/Fire
Subtotal
Partner 1
Partner 2
Total
WDNR
$19,608
$19,608
$10,475
$10,475
$10,475
$10,475
$17,185
$1,666
$1,666
$17,185
$1,666
$18,851
$2,340
$7,810
$10,150
$450
$450
$2,340
$8,260
$10,600
$17,185
Equipment
ATV, grass seeder rental
Chainsaws, radio rental
Subtotal
$239,802
$19,608
$259,410
Supplies
Orthophotos, Arcview Upgrade
Native Seed Mix
Subtotal
$2,900
$147,100
$150,000
Contractual
Stand exams/Thinning Contracts
Prescribed Burning Contract
Subtotal
$285,750
$360,000
$645,750
Other
Overhead Charges (25%)
$219,879
$67,862
$5,431
$293,172
Subtotal
$219,879
$67,862
$5,431
$293,172
$1,099,394
$339,309
$27,155
$1,465,858
Total Costs
$2,900
$224,700
$227,600
$77,600
$77,600
$285,750
$360,000
$645,750
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.