NATIONAL FIRE PLAN COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE AND WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE PROJECTS
Application for Fuels Treatment Projects
Applicant
Applicant/Organization:Sun Mountain Ranch Club & Membership Assoc., Inc.
Phone:
509-996-9241 / Type of Applicant: (enter appropriate letter in box) Non-Profit Organization
L
A. State / H. Independent School District
B. County / I. State-Controlled Institution of Higher Learning
C. Municipal / J. Private University
D. Township / K. Indian Tribe
E. Interstate / L. Nonprofit Organization
F. Intermunicipal / M. Other (Specify) ______
G. Special District
Non-
FAX:
Email:
Address (Street or P. O. Box, City, State, Zip):
P.O. Box 24, Winthrop, WA 98862
Project Coordinator
Applicant
Applicant/Organization: Type of Applicant info from SF-424 in this cornerPhone: / FAX: / Email:
Address (Street or P. O. Box, City, State, Zip):
Project Coordinator
Project Coordinator (Name and Title):John Daily, SMRC Project Manager
Organization/Jurisdiction:
Sun Mountain Ranch Club and Membership Assoc., Inc. (SMRC)
Phone: / FAX: / Email:
506-996-9241 /
Project Information
Project Title:Complete fuels treatment for the Sun Mountain Ranch Club CommunityProposed Project Start Date: / Proposed Project End Date:
10/1/04 / 12/31/06
Federal Funding Request: / Total Project FundingCost:
$167,000 / $203,000
Are you submitting multiple projects? If so, please prioritize. And explain if the projects are stand alone or sequential or other:
Brief Project Summary: Who, What, Where, Desired Outcomes in relation to NFP Goals and Community Fire Protection Plan. Should summarize Page 2.
Project Location (latitude/longitude of project): / County: / Congressional District:
Name of Federal and/or State Contact with whom you coordinated this proposal:
Are you submitting multiple projects? If so, please prioritize, and explain if the projects are stand alone, sequential or other:
No
Brief Project Summary: Who, What, Where, Desired Outcomes in relation to NFP Goals and Community Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plans (This should summarize page 2).
This is to complete the fuels treatments identified in the 2002 and 2003 NFP grants on the 300+ parcel Sun Mountain Ranch Club community. These grants provided for fire risk assessments, a “Fire-wise” workshop, community fire plan and fuels treatments on 160 lots (400 Ac.). This request is to primarily address heavy bitterbrush fuels. Over $850,000 (including $140,000 of donated funds) has already been invested towards making this community more fire safe. The FS, BLM, WA-DNR, Fire District and local landowners support the program. The Methow Fire Plan Coordinating Group has ranked this project as #3 for fuels treatment in the Methow Valley.
Project Location: / County: / Federal Congressional District:
Winthrop, WA / Okanogan / 5th
Name of Federal, State or Tribal contact with whom you coordinated this proposal: / Telephone number of Contact:
John Newcom, District Ranger, Winthrop RD / 509-996-4060
Enclosure 3BA (Page 1 of 33) - 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:
Address these items as applicable: /
- project location,(e.g., Watershed, neighboring community), etc.
- anticipated outcomes
project relationship to thecommunity
- fire plans community risk assessment and mitigation plan
- project relationship to the community risk assessment and mitigation plan
- amount or extent of actions (acres, number of homes, etc.)
- project timeline and matching or contributed funds
- tools and/or skills needed to complete project
For this project, explain the level of cooperation, coordination or strategic planning, through a “Local Coordination Group.” If you haven’t worked with a local coordination group, why not?
Sun Mountain Ranch Club is a 300+ parcel, 750-acre subdivision adjacent to Twin Lakes between Winthrop and Twisp, WA. It lies in a broad valley with the Methow Valley Schools immediately down-valley and down-wind. Much of the area is in dense ponderosa pine forest cover. The remaining vegetation is heavy, decadent bitterbrush. The subdivision is within a volatile fire disturbance area and future fire events are inevitable.
The community is very concerned about the fire risk. Previous grants have provided for fire risk assessments, a “Fire-wise” workshop, development and implementation of a fire plan, completion of fuel breaks and treatment of 160 lots on 400 acres. Investments in the project include SMRC timber revenues and donations of $140,300 and two BLM National Fire Plan grants totaling $711,358.
This request is to complete treatment on the remainder of the community, primarily involving trimming heavy stands of bitterbrush and pruning ladder fuels. A total of 140 properties and 350 acres will be included in these actions. The work will be begin as soon as the grant is approved and will be completed by the end of 2006.
SMRC, the duly formed non-profit organization representing the entire Sun Mountain Ranch community, makes the request. In addition to benefiting the landowners the project also provides public benefits; increased safety for firefighters and reduced risk of fire escaping onto surrounding developed lands and threatening the schools and towns of Winthrop and Twisp. The FS, BLM, DNR and local fire districts are active participants in the planning, design and implementation of the project. Sun Mountain Lodge, an adjacent landowner allowed treatment of their land as a fuel break.
This proposal was submitted in February 2003 for FY 2004 funding. We understood it was ranked highly and recommended for funding. This funding did not materialize so the proposal is being resubmitted. SMRC is participating with the Methow Valley Fire Plan Coordinating Group to develop a Methow Valley Fire Plan. This Coordinating Group ranked this request as #3 in the Valley for fuels treatment.
For this project, explain the level of cooperation, coordination or strategic planning, through a “Local Coordination Group. If you haven’t worked with a local coordination group, why not? Make a new box at the bottom and put the preceeding question in the box. No points.
Enclosure 3AB (Page 2 of 33)- Project Evaluation Criteria
Applications for funding must include narrative responses that address the following three criteria. Be sure you address every one briefly, yet thoroughly. Limit your responses to the area provided.
- Reducing Hazardous Fuels (50 points)-
A.Describe the community infrastructure and natural landscapes that will be protected.
B.Explain how the proposal reduces fire behavior in high hazard areas by describing the fuels to be disposed or removed, and the techniques and timing of the treatments.
C.B.To what extent does the project implement the fuels treatment portion of a community fire plan? Include name of plan, date it was prepared, local contact to get a copy of the plan if requested.
D.C.How will the proposed treatments be maintained in future years?
D.How will you use multi-party monitoring to improve this and future projects?.
Response:e: Sun Mountain Ranch Club is a 300-parcel, 750 acre subdivision that is about 2/3 built out. The community has a variety of structures, some of which are not fire-safe, but improvements and upgrades are ccurring. The community and surrounding area also contain up-scale, expensive structures. Treating the fuels will not only protect the community but also the surrounding developed areas, including the Methow Valley Schools. These are all within the Winthrop-Twisp WUI’s.
Fuel treatment objectives are to (1) reduce the ground fuels so flame lengths remain below 4 feet, (2) eliminate ladder fuels so fire stays out of the crowns, and (3) reduce bulk density in the crowns so any fire getting to the crown would involve only a single crown or patch. This is done by a combination of thinning from below and then removing the ground fuels. With these treatments suppression forces can make direct attack on fires and control them before they engulf the entire community or spread to surrounding lands. This request is to treat the fuels on the remaining lots not included in the previous grants. These are at the eastern end and involve primarily heavy bitterbrush stands and full-crown ponderosa pine pockets. Treatment is needed to meet the flame length objective. This will be done with a combination of mechanical and hand work. As much of the material removed as possible will be utilized and the remaining slash burned or chipped. The community fire plan will address how these measures will be maintained.
The Methow Valley Fire Plan Coordinating Group is developing monitoring techniques as a part of the Methow Valley Fire Plan. SMRC is involved with this effort and will participate with monitoring actions within the development to improve techniques and results.
Enclosure 3B (Page 32 of 3) - Project Evaluation Criteria
Enclosure 3A (Page 3 of 3) - Project Evaluation Criteria
- Increasing Local Capacity (25 points)
A.How would the proposal improve or lead to the improvement of the local economy in terms of jobs and sustainable economic activity?
B.How many jobs are expected to be created or retained and for how long? (Please distinguish between essentially year-round and seasonal jobs).
C.What tools and skills will be gained or utilized as a result of this project?
C.D.Will biomass be utilized; if so, in what manner and how much?
Response: This proposal will employ a five-person crew for a full season, or 3-4 years of employment. The indirect benefits are huge in this valley that is dedicated to tourism. Catastrophic fires are a disaster to the tourism industry and to the local economy. Sun Mountain Ranch Club is a demonstration for achieving fuels treatment and reducing fire risk and other communities and groups are looking at these results. This will spawn a new industry, involving at least 4-5 crews on essentially a full-time basis, to treat these fuels in the Methow Valley. With the current backlog, this work will continue for the foreseeable future. Reduced fire risk will be a major benefit not only to the homeowners but also to the entire Methow economy.
New techniques and equipment are coming into play. Chippers, small skidders and mechanical wood cutting machines are being used. An estimated 90 thousand board feet of merchantable timber will be removed along with considerable smaller material. This will be utilized for firewood or other uses. The Small Diameter Utilization project in the Valley has been contacted to see if there are additional uses for this material. The estimated $36,000 in timber revenues will be donated back to the project to reduce overall costs. Only the limbs and tops will be chipped or burned.
- Demonstrating Community and Intergovernmental Collaboration (25 Points)
A.How will this project implement a local community risk assessment and mitigation plan (community fire plan), intergovernmental strategy, or plan? Identify the plan that provides guidance for this project. Include name of plan, date it was prepared, and local contact to get a copy of the plan if requested.
B.How has this treatment been coordinated with adjacent landowners and local/sState/Ttribal/Ffederal agencies?
C.Identify the cooperators/partners involved in implementation of this project.
D.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.
E.D.Describe the extent of current local support for the project, including any cost-sharing agreements.
Response: SMRC is participating with the Methow Valley Fire Plan Coordinating Group. The Sun Mountain Ranch Club Fire Plan will be an integral part of the Methow Valley Plan. This Methow Valley planning is just beginning but the relative risks were evaluated and this proposal was ranked by the Group as #3 for fuels treatment within the Methow Valley.
Sun Mountain Ranch Club lies directly in the middle of the Winthrop – Twisp WUI’s. It is immediately upwind from the Methow Schools. Sun Mountain, an adjacent landowner, agreed to treat two areas to extend the effects of the grant treatments. The project is a demonstration on how to reduce fire risk in a volatile fire setting. It is available for viewing by all agencies, organizations and individuals interested. Over $850,000, including $140,000 of timber revenues and donations, has already been invested in the project and it is supported by the Sun Mountain Ranch Club and local community.
Long-time partners in the project include:
- US Forest Service – Initiated action, coordinated projects, and provided project and grant support.
- Bureau of Land Management – Provided grant support.
- WA-DNR – Initiated action, provided project support and SIP funding.
- Winthrop Rural Fire Dist. – Initiated action and provided project support.
Enclosure 3CA - Project Work Form
Tasks / Time Frame / Responsible Party
Treat fuels on 140 additional lots.
(350 Ac.) / Fall 2004 & Spring/Summer 2006 / SMRC & Cascade Woodlands
Top of Form
Enclosure 3D Project BudgetCost Category
Description / Federal
Agency / Applicant / Partner 1 / Partner 2 / Total
Personnel
Subtotal
Fringe Benefits
Subtotal
Travel
Subtotal
Equipment
Subtotal
Supplies
Subtotal
Contractual
Treatment Operators / $167,000 / $36,000 / $203,000
Subtotal
Other
Subtotal
Total Costs / $167,000 / $36,000 / $203,000
Project (Program) Income[1]
(using deductive alternative) / $36,000 / Timber Revenue / Invested Back / To Project
[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.