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:
The Lands Council
Phone:
FAX:
Email:
509-838-4912
509-838-5155
tlc@landscouncil.org
Address (Street or P. O. Box, City, State, Zip):
921 West Sprague Avenue, Suite 205 , Spokane, WA 99201
Project Coordinator
Project Coordinator (Name and Title):
Mike Petersen, Executive Director
Organization/Jurisdiction:
The Lands Council
Phone:
FAX:
Email:
509-838-4912
509-838-5155
mpetersen@landscouncil.com
Project Information
Project Title:
Rural community wildfire protection & education program
Project Start:
Project End:
July 1, 2002
December 31, 2003
Federal Funding Request:
Total Project Funding:
$20,000.00
$24,000.00
Are you submitting multiple projects? If so, please explain and prioritize:
No, we are withdrawing our startup proposal grant for now
Brief Project Description:
Our project will continue and expand our ongoing Wildfire Education Program that was developed
through a grant awarded in 2001, and partially funded again in 2002. The program involves hosting
free defensible space workshops, providing free defensible space planning for rural homeowners,
providing free educational material on defensible space, fire-resistive building materials and
landscaping, and collaborating with other agencies (federal, state and county) and organizations to
promote rural community wildfire protection in northeast Washington. In addition, we plan to
continue to collaborate in an effort to collect high-quality information through fire planning useful to
fire protection efforts and future GIS mapping as well as expand our outreach program to schools,
realtors and community organizations and an additional county (Ferry).
Project Location:
County:
Congressional District:
Northeast Washington State
see below
WA-5th
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:
Rural communitites in northeastern Washington, including Pend Oreille, Stevens & Ferry Counties.
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
In 2001, we submitted a grant proposal to work in northeast Washington to assist rural communities
with reducing wildfire risks, both through education and technical planning assistance. Since receiving that
grant, we have provided workshops in rural communitites on 'defensible space', we have advertised free
defensible space planning through newspapers, radio stations, county mailings and door-to-door rural
outreach. We are writing 'Home Survivability Plans' for homes in these areas. In addition, we have
developed educational handouts on what wildfire defensible space is and why it works, what types of roofing,
decking and window construction materials are 'fire-resistive' and how to landscape with 'fire-resistive' plant
species in the inland northwest. We continue to collaborate with other agencies and organzations in efforts to
promote defensible space and the work associated with it. We've developed a list serve to facilitate
information-sharing among key players in this work and assist in promoting other opportunitites available to
homeowners, such as the DNR's Firewise workshops. Finally, we are collecting information (GPS latitude &
longitude, access concerns, etc.) while writing fire plans to distribute to rural fire districts and other agencies
with an interest in compiling information for urban interface areas.
Response:
We anticipate that the current funding will allow us to continue to work until April 2003, and this grant would
fund us through 2003. The success of the program and homeowner satisfaction are dependent on two things;
1st, our ability to secure implementation assistance for the fire plans we are writing and our ability to fund
this Wildfire Education Program beyond the summer of this year. We are working with the DNR and FireSafe
Spokane to arrange a means of ensuring implementation assistance to recipients of our fire plans. Presently,
there is an agreement to allow another entity to implement our fire plans with appropriate funding sources.
We have made great efforts to parallel the quality and methods of our fire planning with that being done by
FireSafe Spokane and others in order to ensure consistency and implementation. Because of the size of the
area being covered, this work is needed to access rural homeowners for at least a period of several years.
Our Wildfire Education Program has the capability to succeed as evidenced by the results of our existing
program, such as the great reception we have had in rural areas. Current outreach efforts that have shown the
highest success rate include personal contact and personal mailings. When rural residents take personal
responsibility for their property they can protect their homes, and together we can create fire-adapted
communities that have the ability to survive wildfire. Communities that are better prepared for fires also
offer a safer and more effective working environment for firefighters. With the protection of private property
and communities, public land managers can then make better decisions about wild and prescribed fire on
public lands, providing the opportunity to save money in firefighting costs and do a better job in restoring the
health of public lands. This grant application proposes to continue with the work described above within the
same counties (Stevens and Pend Oreille) and one additional county (Ferry). We anticipate hosting
defensible space workshops again in the spring, as well as continuing our outreach, fire planning and
whatever means are necessary to make the program successful.
Please note that we originally submitted our grant for $35,000, and were awarded $15,000 from the April 30,
2002 cycle. This grant request brings us up to the $35,000 and would extend our program through 2003.
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?
Response:
The program reduces wildfire risks to private property because it involves defensible space planning and
education in high risk areas and wildland/urban interface communities. Outreach target areas are selected
based on their proximity to forested areas and include interface lands specifically recommended by the FS for
fuels reduction. Through the program, we are increasing the safety of defending these homes in a wildfire
situation as well as reducing the risk of fire spreading from or onto adjacent federal and non-federal lands.
Community safety is enhanced as more and more homes within a similar area create defensible space. Our
door-to-door efforts allow us to access rural & low-income homeowners that otherwise may not have
exposure to this assistance. Our outreach efforts also allow us to assess communitities for their hazard and
prioritize our efforts. Community fire planning is encouraged in every housecall that we make and every fire
plan we write. We encourage homeowners to speak with their neighbors and homeowner associations to
spread the word and request community action. By creating survivable communitites, local public land
managers should have more flexibility to utilize restoration means for restoring fire-adapted ecosystems, such
as prescribed fire. In addition, these areas provide fuel breaks and reduce fuels in areas adjacent to larger
tracts of fire-adapted forests. Upon implementation, landowners agree to 10 years of maintenance.
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?
Response: The local
economy is positively affected by our program because we are creating work through our
fire planning. Implementation of these plans will likely be done through another entity, but one which has
already specified interest in utilizing local contractors and crews for the vegetation modification work. Each
plan takes approximately 1/2 -1 day to implement for a seasonal crew. It is quite possible that we may
succeed in writing hundreds of plans through our program. In addition, our progam creates 1 & 1/2 yearround jobs as a fire planner/educator and grant administration. Indirectly, our educational efforts may result in
homeowners hiring their own local contractors to do this type of work independently of this program. As far
as a model for other communitites, we hope to participate in 'show-me' tours for other communities and are
pursuing media coverage of our area and program to encourage similar efforts in other states.Forest fuels on
private property will be utilized and removed, as much as necessary to create an adequate zone of defensible
space. Fuels are either removed, utilized as firewood or chipped and scattered during plan implementation.
Some homeowners may choose to pile and burn fuels on their own.
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.
Response: The program
is based on fuels reduction planning and education in rural communitites as described
in the National Fire Plan (NFP). In addition, our planning methods are consistent with other NFP efforts in
NE Washington, such as FireSafe Spokane. Our education program utilizes federal and state science &
information including research done by Jack Cohen and the Pacific Wildfire Coordinating Group. We
coordinate with other "rural fire protection efforts" in northeastern Washington by maintaining a level of
consistency in planning methods and through regular communication. The information we collect through
our outreach and education efforts is also valuable to rural fire districts and we have been involved in an
ongoing cooperative effort to share information and collection protocols. We have refined the geographic
scope and data set collection through meetings with the WA Dept. of Natural Resources, Forest Service,
FireSafe Spokane, Wash. State University, and the Rural Information Technology Center. We will link the
information gained in fire planning and education into the database being developed by WSU. This will
include establishing and using inventory protocols for future Defensible Space plans. Our proposal requests
an additional $5,000 to collect GPS location info. at all residences needing defensible space, rather than just
those we write fire plans for. We will continue to collect other information that Fire Districts, county, state
and federal agencies have deemed useful in fire protection efforts .
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?
Our door-to-door contacts outreach has proven the most effective way to comprehensively reach
rural residents. We will also be contacting Washington businesses who are part of the Selkirk Loop and
putting up flyers in appropriate places. Support for the program has been very good, both from agency
personnel and members of the public. We have collaborated on our workshops with Conservation Districts,
DNR, FS and FireSafe Spokane. Rural Fire District volunteers continue to show support for our work as it
makes their job easier and safer. Environmental benefits include a shift in public perception of forest fires,
fuels reduction in areas of high risk and better planning with regards to rural development and sprawl.
Response:
Social benefits include protection of homes, lives, neighborhoods, community participation and more
efficient financial planning and spending. Educational benefits include opportunitites to learn about how fire
spreads, what types of fuels are most risky, fire ecology and what it means to live in rural areas within the
forest. By helping create defensible space, the safety of firefighters will be increased. We are seeing evidence
that information about wildfires and fire protection plans spreads from neighbor to neighbor, and this
increased communication about a common threat is very positive.
Enclosure 3C - Project Work Form
Tasks
Time Frame
Responsible Party
Rural community outreach (door-to-door)
contacts in Pend Oreille, Stevens and Ferry
counties
07/02-12/03
The Lands Council
Fire planning (development of 'Home
Survivability Plans') for defensible space in
Pend Oreille, Stevens and Ferry counties.
07/02-12/03
The Lands Council
School presentations re: defensible space and
fire ecology in Pend Oreille, Stevens and
Ferry county schools.
10/02-06/03
The Lands Council
Outreach to rural fire districts in counties for
potential cooperative neighborhood planning
and general outreach re: defensible space
planning opportunitites.
07/02-12/03
The Lands Council
Continue to participate in
interagency/organizational efforts to
collaborate fire protection efforts in rural areas
of northeastern Washington.
07/02-12/03
The Lands Council
Continue to collect GPS location information
as well as access information for other grants
and for rural Fire Districts. Distribute data to
Fire Districts periodically for them to update
their own databases with.
07/02-12/03
The Lands Council
Facilitate implementation of 'Home
Survivability Plans' with the Washington State
DNR and FireSafe Spokane.
07/02-12/03
The Lands Council
Report to Forest Service
As needed
The Lands Council
Enclosure 3D Project Budget
Cost Category
Description
Federal
Agency
Applicant
Personnel
$12,000.00
$3,000.00
Subtotal
$12,000.00
$3,000.00
Fringe Benefits
$0.00
$0.00
Subtotal
$0.00
$0.00
Travel
$500.00
$100.00
Subtotal
$500.00
$100.00
Equipment
$0.00
$0.00
Subtotal
$0.00
$0.00
Supplies
$0.00
$0.00
Subtotal
$0.00
$0.00
Contractual
$4,500.00
$900
Subtotal
$4,500.00
$900.00
Other
$3,000.00
$0.00
Subtotal
$3,000.00
$0.00
Total Costs
$20,000.00
$4,000.00
Project (Program) Income1
(using deductive alternative)
1
Partner 1
Partner 2
Total
$0.00
$15,000.00
$0.00
$0.00
$15,000.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$600.00
$0.00
$0.00
$600.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$5,400.00
$0.00
$0.00
$5,400.00
$0.00
$0.00
$3,000.00
$0.00
$0.00
$3,000.00
$0.00
$0.00
$24,000.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$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.