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:
Washington Department of Natural Resources
Phone:
FAX:
Email:
(360) 902-1300
(360) 902-1781
sandy.williams@wadnr.gov
Address (Street or P. O. Box, City, State, Zip):
1111 Washington St. SE, PO Box 47037, Olympia, WA 98504-7037
Project Coordinator
Project Coordinator (Name and Title):
Sandy Williams, Prevention Education Manager
Organization/Jurisdiction:
Washington Department of Natural Resources
Phone:
FAX:
Email:
(360) 902-1300
(360) 902-1781
sandy.williams@wadnr.gov
Project Information
Project Title:
Jr. Firewise
Project Start:
Project End:
October 1, 2002
September 30, 2003
Federal Funding Request:
Total Project Funding:
$7,000.00
$9,500.00
Are you submitting multiple projects? If so, please explain and prioritize:
Yes, this is priority 1 of 3
Brief Project Description:
This proposal will refine and package a program developed by the Kittitas County FireWise Co-op
and Fire Dept.and DNR staff entitled: Jr. Firewise. Jr. Firewise is a hands-on program targeting
Junior and High School students. The course objectives are: 1) identify and discuss the three
sides of a fire triangle; 2) identify the environmental factors of wildland fire behavior that affect the
start and spread of wildfire; 3) recognize situations which indicate problems or extreme wildland fire
behavior; 4) perform a risk assessment of their home and surrounding community identifyig some
risk mitigation work that might be done in the form of fuel reduction; and 5) discuss the economic
impacts of fire for the community as well as the personal liability to person(s) who are negligent with
fire. To date, this course has been very popular with faculty and students alike. Unfortunately,
neither agency has sufficient staff to respond to the demand. Grant funding would enable DNR to
refine the program; train the teachers; and produce 300 CD's.
Project Location:
statewide
County:
Congressional District:
statewide
all
Project Type: Check appropriate project type. More than one type may be checked. If only Box (4) is checked, use Enclosure 4.
(1)
(2)
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:
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
 partners





project income
project time frames
specify types of activities and equipment used
amount or extent of actions (acres, number of homes, etc)
environmental, cultural and historical resource requirements
The Jr. Firewise program was developed as a tool to teach young adults (and future homeowners)
about the dangers of fire through an understanding of fire behavior. While part of the curriculum is lecture,
there is also some hands-on activities by the students. The students are required to build a diorama (meeting
certain specifications, e.g., slope, etc.) and then they get to burn some of these products so they can see first
hand some of the factors that affect the start and spread of wildfire, e.g., togography, fuel types, etc.
Response:
The course objectives are: 1) identify and discuss the three sides of the fire triangle; 2) identify the
environmental factors of wildland fire behavior that affect the start and spread of wildfire; 3) recognize
situations which indicate problems or extreme wildland fire behavior; 4) perform a risk assessment of their
home and surrounding community identifying some risk mitigation work that might be done in the form of
fuel reduction; and 5) discuss the economic impacts of fire for the community as well as the personal liability
to person(s) who are negligent with fire.
The Jr. Firewise curriculum will be refined to ensure it meets the Washington State Public Education System
Standards; however, this product could be used in other states as well. If funded, a consultant would be hired
ASAP to refine the materials, put on an educators workshop to train the educators on the materials, provide
approximately 300 copies of the package on CD's for the Department of Natural Resoruces to hand out to
schools by the start of the September 2003 school session; and develop a tool to evaluate the curriculum by
the end users and others.
This program is integral to the prevention education strategy in Wasington State. Approximately 85% of our
fire starts are human-caused. This program takes a wholistic approach in that it informs these young adults
not only about the dangers and risks from fire, but also about the cost and potential liability and personal
responsibility for letting a fire get away. Additionally, these young adults are exposed to information that
they will be able to use throughout life, e.g., responsibility/accountability as a forest user; the importance of
fuel reduction and defensible space as a homeowner, and the importance of maintaining economic stability in
one's community.
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.
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 fuels treatment plan or 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 (a) leads to, enhances or restores a local fire-adapted ecosystem, and/or (b) mitigates or leads to the
mitigation of hazardous fuel conditions.
F. How will the proposed treatments be maintained over time?
Teenagers tend to be enamored by fire. The Jr. Firewise Program provides an opportunity where
these young adults are able to see first hand how quickly fire can spread. While Firewise is the cornerstone of
the educational programs for the adult sector, the Jr. Firewise initiates young adults into thinking about fire in
terms of personal responsibility/accountability, how it can affect a community, and their future
responsibilities in homeownership. By offering this education, the potential of wildfires being set are
minimized.
Response:
The basic premise of prevention education is to reduce risks through awareness. While the program appears
to be having a positive effect in the Southeast Region of Washington, this grant has included the development
of a evaluation tool to ensure it is equally effective in the rest of the state.
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)?
B. To what extent will this project be offered to serve as a model for other communities?
C. Will biomass or forest fuels be utilized; if so, in what manner and how much?
Eighty-five percent of the fire starts in Washington State are human caused. Through education we
are working to further eliminate these human-caused fires because many of the young adults have
responsibilities helping out at home. Armed with this knowledge, these young adults can teach, or just
remind, their parents about fuel reduction techniques, how to properly burn debris, and overall creating
defensible space around homes in the urban interface.
Response:
Fire can be economically devastating to communities and individuals. Junior Firewise has been a model
program in the Southeast Region of Washington. By making it more easily and readily available, it is hoped
to become a model program throughout the state, especially in the eastern half of the state where conditions
are more prone to fire.
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 plan, or creates such a plan. Describe the plan if it
already exists.
B. Explain the level of cooperation, coordination or strategic planning among federal, state, tribal, local government and
community organizations. List the cooperators.
Local coordination and cooperation with the fire districts and the school faculties in this program
has been high. Both sources have been helpful in making recommendations and providing assistance in
making this program what it is today.
We plan to use the local coordination groups (federal and state agencies and local fire districts) to help spread
the word about the Jr. Firewise program. The local coordination groups are our neighbors throughout the
state that we continue to work with to assess and prioritize the fire risk on all landscapes and coordinate on
providing fire education. These local coordination groups are currently formally being formed by each of our
seven regions.
Response:
4. Expanding Community Participation. (15 Points)
A. To what extent have interested people and communities been provided an opportunity to become informed and involved in this
proposal?
B. Describe the extent of local support for the project, including any cost-sharing arrangements.
C. What are the environmental, social and educational benefits of the project?
Response:
The development of the Jr. Firewise program has included members of the Kittitas fire district, Kittitas
Firewise Co-op, DNR and faculty members at the schools where the material has been presented. Along with
the end users, these people are critical to involve in the evaluation process to help ensure the product is
relevant and working.
The Department of Natural Resources will provide a cost-share $2,500 to place the refined materials on CD's
- approximately 300 copies and assist with the teacher workshop.
This is an interactive educational program that promotes an interest and opens up communication with these
young folks - they are really enthusiastic. By starting to work with these folks in the Junior High level, there
are several more years of opportunities to get the fire prevention message across. As future homeowners,
they will also have the foundation for implementing defensible space and fire resistant plants for their own
home and community.
Enclosure 3C - Project Work Form
Tasks
Time Frame
Responsible Party
Enclosure 3D Project Budget
Cost Category
Description
Federal
Agency
Personnel
Subtotal
Applicant
Partner 1
Partner 2
Total
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$2,500.00
$0.00
$2,500.00
$0.00
$0.00
$7,000.00
$0.00
$7,000.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
Fringe Benefits
$0.00
Subtotal
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
Travel
Subtotal
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
Equipment
Subtotal
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
Supplies
$2,500.00
Subtotal
$0.00
$2,500.00
$0.00
Contractual
$7,000.00
Subtotal
$7,000.00
$0.00
$0.00
Other
Subtotal
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
Total Costs
$7,000.00
$2,500.00
$0.00
$0.00
$9,500.00
Project (Program) Income1
(using deductive alternative)
1
$0.00
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.