Hazardous Fuel Treatment Project
Technical Specifications
Fuel Hazard Reduction Practices:
State of Montana, Best Management Practices (BMPs) will be followed when accomplishing all fuel hazard reduction
practices.
A. Thinning
1. Non-Commercial Thinning for Fire Hazard Fuels Reduction:
This type of thinning is not a standard thinning to enhance the volume of the remaining trees.
This thinning is designed to: 1) create space (on average at least 10 feet) between tree crowns to reduce the
chances of a running crown fire; and/or 2) to treat fuels between the ground and crowns of larger trees by
removing ladder fuels to reduce the chances of a ground fire from becoming a crown fire. 10 feet between
crowns means 10 feet between the outside edge of each tree crown. This may vary by tree species because some
tree species can’t be opened up to this distance because they may be prone to wind-throw if they are opened up
this much. It will also vary on a case-by-case basis depending on landowner desires for screening (road,
neighbors house, etc.) but the overall objective of reducing fire risk cannot be compromised.
It will be the responsibility of the landowner to dispose of this material in accordance with the Downed Woody
Fuels Cleanup specs listed below.
2. Commercial Thinning for Fire Hazard Fuels Reduction:
This type of thinning is also not designed to enhance the volume of the remaining timber. It is designed to create
space to prevent the chances of a running crown fire. On average at least 10 feet between crowns needs to be
maintained. Material in this category is generally merchantable and will be up to the landowner to decide what
to do with this material. It will also be the responsibility of the landowner to dispose of this material in
accordance with the Downed Woody Fuels Cleanup specs listed below. Any revenue received from the sale of wood
products may adjust the amount paid to the landowner by BCI under a grant as shown on the agreement downward. This
calculation will be made when all mill or revenue records are received from the landowner. Revenue will be subtracted
from the total cost of the job and the BCI share of the project will be re-figured.
All costs and expenses of harvesting this merchantable material can be applied by the landowner toward their
portion of the cost share. As mentioned above, the revenue received from the sale of wood products will be
deducted from the overall cost of the project to obtain the net project cost which will be used by BCI to re-figure
payment to landowner. Landowner retains the decision to either sell their merchantable material or dispose of it
by other means.
3. Hazard Reduction Thinning in Riparian Areas:
State of Montana, Department of Natural Resources will be involved in decisions regarding thinning within
riparian areas. Best management practices will be followed.
B. Tree Pruning for: 1) defensible space trees; 2) in previously thinned stands; and
3) in conjunction with thinning.
Pruning of all residual trees (trees left after thinning) will be accomplished to a minimum height of 12 feet above
ground level or to a height of 1/3rd the total height of the tree, whichever is less.
This means cutting all branches off the bole of the tree, separating the branch at the bole and not leaving any branch
stub longer than 3 inches.
1
Pruning can occur within riparian or upland areas. Best management practices will be followed.
C. Downed Woody Fuels Cleanup:
This could apply for the following practices: 1) removal of slash created by thinning and/or pruning; 2) fuel hazard
thinning already completed but landowner wants to cost share the cleanup of the slash; 3) cleanup of downed woody
materials on the forest floor not created by thinning or pruning but is naturally occurring; 4) cost-share is not tied to
how this would be completed, but would provide funding toward completion of this work. State of Montana best
management practices will be followed.
Specification: Woody debris other than duff and litter will be picked up and either hand or machine piled for later
burning or chipped in place with chips spread across the forest floor in an even manner or taken off site to be disposed
of by either burning or chipping. Downed woody debris as any woody debris created by thinning and pruning as well
as pre-existing woody debris that is considered a fire hazard. Prescribed burning of slash that is lying on the forest
floor (underburning is acceptable as long as it meets the disposal specifications outlined below for prescribed burning.
Some woody debris can be retained for site protection as long as it does not compromise the objectives of reducing the
fire risk. BCI retains the right to decide whether slash cleanup is adequate to meet the objectives of the grant program.
1. Hand piling:
Specification: Hand piles should be designed in such a way that will properly dispose of all slash within each
pile by burning. It will be up to each landowner’s discretion as to how this is accomplished, but all material in all
piles should be disposed of by burning, or by chipping, or by hauling off site to another location to be disposed of
at a later date. Technical assistance will be available to assist landowners in hand-piling techniques that will
assist them in proper disposal. Piles should be located in such a way to protect residual trees from scorch or from
other damage by fire.
2. Chipping:
Specification: Chipping is another good way of disposing of all slash created by hazardous fuels reduction.
If this is the chosen method by a landowner to dispose of the slash, chips can be either spread across the forest
floor in an even manner (at a maximum depth of 2 inches) or hauled off site to be disposed of in another manner.
This is at the discretion of the landowner.
3. Hand-pile Burning:
Specification: Burning of hand piles will be done in such a way that will consume or dispose of material
contained in each pile. It is the responsibility of the landowner to obtain all proper permits to accomplish this
work.
4. Prescribed Burning (Underburning):
Specification: Burning of slash and woody debris under standing timber will be done in such a way that will
reduce the slash sufficiently to reduce the fire hazard in the area. Downed woody debris must be disposed of in
such a way by underburning to sufficiently reduce the fire risk to a level that will allow wildland firefighters to
direct attack a fire within the area during the peak fire season. If the underburning does not accomplish this goal,
additional slash treatment must be completed (hand piling or chipping) in order to further reduce the fire hazard.
This will be determined by the community forester inspection after the prescribed burn.
2
VEGETATION REDUCTION GUIDELINES
0% TO 10% SLOPE
A
C
D
B
100'
100'
100'
A = THE FIRST 3 FEET OF B
Maintain an area of non-combustible material - flowers, plants, concrete, gravel, mineral soil, etc.
B = 10 FEET
Remove all trees and downed woody fuels.
C = 20 FEET
Thin trees to 10 feet between crowns.
Prune limbs of all remaining trees to 12 feet or one-third the total live crown height, whichever is less.
Maintain surface vegetation at 3 inches or less.
Remove all downed woody fuels.
D = 70 FEET
Thin trees to 10 feet between crowns.
Prune limbs of all remaining trees to 12 feet or one-third the total live crown height, whichever is less.
Remove all downed woody fuels more than 3 inches in diameter.
3
VEGETATION REDUCTION GUIDELINES
10% TO 20% SLOPE
A
DO W NSLO PE
D
C
B
120'
100'
UPSLO PE
100'
The shaded areas (upslope) of B, C, & D remain a constant distance of 10', 20', and 70' respectively. The
shaded area begins from the mid-section of a structure. The unshaded areas (down slope) of B, C, & D increase
with slope as detailed below:
A = THE FIRST 3 FEET OF B
Maintain an area of non-combustible material - flowers, plants, concrete, gravel, mineral soil, etc.
B = 15 FEET
Remove all trees and downed woody fuels.
C = 25 FEET
Thin trees to 10 feet between crowns.
Prune limbs of all remaining trees to 12 feet or one-third the total live crown height, whichever is less.
Maintain surface vegetation at 3 inches or less.
Remove all downed woody fuels.
D = 80 FEET
Thin trees to 10 feet between crowns.
Prune limbs of all remaining trees to 12 feet or one-third the total live crown height, whichever is less.
Remove all downed woody fuels more than 3 inches in diameter.
4
VEGETATION REDUCTION GUIDELINES
20% TO 30% SLOPE
A
DOWNSLOPE
D
C
150'
B
100'
UPSLOPE
100'
The shaded areas (upslope) of B, C, & D remain a constant distance of 10', 20', and 70' respectively. The shaded area begins from the
mid-section of a structure. The unshaded areas (down slope) of B, C, & D increase with slope as detailed below:
A = THE FIRST 3 FEET OF B
Maintain an area of non-combustible material - flowers, plants, concrete, gravel, mineral soil, etc.
B = 20 FEET
Remove all trees and downed woody fuels.
C = 30 FEET
Thin trees to 10 feet between crowns.
Prune limbs of all remaining trees to 12 feet or one-third the total live crown height, whichever is less.
Maintain surface vegetation at 3 inches or less.
Remove all downed woody fuels.
D= 100 FEET
Thin trees to 10 feet between crowns.
Prune limbs of all remaining trees to 12 feet or one-third the total live crown height, whichever is less.
Remove all downed woody fuels more than 3 inches in diameter.
5
VEGETATION REDUCTION GUIDELINES
THINNING AND PRUNING
THINNING
10 Ft
SURFACE
3-12 IN.
FUEL
PRUNING
12 FEET
1/3
ORLIVE
WHICHEVER
CROWN
IS LESS
In areas where vegetation modification is prescribed, use the following guidelines:
A THINNING
Thin trees to 10 feet between crowns.
B. PRUNING
Prune the limbs of all remaining trees to 12 feet or one-third the total live crown height,
whichever is less.
C. SURFACE VEGETATION
Maintain surface vegetation at 3" to 12" as detailed.
6