Fuels mitigation grant

In 2012, the DNRC awarded the North Fork community a hazardous fuels reduction grant.  It’s the third such grant that the community has received; well over 100 North Fork landowners have participated in the program.  Monies are distributed on a cost-share basis, with the grant providing 75% of the cost and the landowner providing the remaining 25%.  The total value of the grant, with landowners’ share, is about $133,000.

As of March 1, 2013, most of the grant money has been committed to landowner projects.  It’s possible that we can obtain additional funding, contingent on the resolution of budget issues in Washington, D.C. and a demonstration of continuing landowner interest in the program.

Montana Noxious Weed Trust Fund

The North Fork Landowners Association is in the process of applying for a Montana Noxious Weed Trust Fund grant for the 2013 weed season. The grant would reimburse landowners for 50% of the cost of having a commercial applicator spray the weed infestations on their property. Ideally, we are seeking approximately 10 landowners who would like to sign up to participate in the pilot year of the grant. Please email Valerie Cox, Weed Committee Chair at valeriekcox@yahoo.com or call her at 406-570-7734 to sign up.

Polebridge school investigated

Alexander James Kroll selected an interesting historical topic for his Bachelor’s of Arts in Anthropology thesis at the University of Montana… the Polebridge schoolhouse. Alex says that this is the very first schoolhouse that was archaeologically investigated in the state of Montana and only the 5th to be looked out in the West. You not only learn about the Polebridge schoolhouse, but also the historical context and all about rural education.

You can download a copy of Alex’s thesis from here, but be warned that it’s 178MB so could take awhile and a lot of FAP.

Don’t forget that you can get access to Alex’s thesis and biographical information as well as other historical interviews and North Fork stories on the North Fork History Project’s web page. Check it out.

What the Waldo Canyon Fire teaches us about pre-fire mitigation

Following the most destructive fire in Colorado’s history, representatives from the Fire Adapted Communities (FAC) coalition toured Colorado Springs to analyze the Waldo Canyon Fire’s impacts and learn how the community had prepared itself. NFPA’s Fred Durso wrote an account of the team’s visit. Download a copy of “Moving Toward a Fire Adapted Community” (PDF, 3 MB).

Fuels Reduction Grant

As of late August, 2012, fifteen North Fork landowners have signed cost-share agreements under the North Fork’s third hazardous fuels reduction grant.  A total of $53,465 has been obligated.  The total amount of the grant is approximately $100,000.  The Fire Mitigation Committee encourages landowners who are interested in participating in the program to apply.  The expiration for the grant is September 30, 2014. For more information, download the NW Montana Hazardous Fuels: Landowners’ Guide to Cost-Share Funding from here

2012 FireWise Day

The Fire Mitigation Committee held its annual FireWise Day on July 11, 2012.  The theme of this year’s event was “Stewardship, Forest Health and Fuels Reduction on the North Fork.”  Presentations focused on how to reduce fuels so as to serve stewardship objectives and achieve a healthy forest.

Four North Fork landowners shared their perspectives, with the help of power point presentations.  Allen Chrisman, North Fork landowner, forester and former Flathead Forest Fire Management Officer, provided a detailed description of his management objectives and accomplishments on his large family property.  He gave attendees the following “take-home” messages:

  • Every acre on the North Fork will burn.
  • We can’t change topography or fire weather but we can manipulate fuels, which will change fire behavior.
  • Know what your objectives are.
  • We can’t keep trees from growing on the North Fork
  • Vegetation will change over time no matter how much we want it to stay the same.
  • Decide which trees you want to keep and remove the rest – the sick, the lame and the lazy – then stand back and watch your forest grow.

Larry Kinsolving, Jerry Wernick and Richard Hildner related their experiences with fire on the North Fork and what they have done on their respective properties in light of those experiences.  For each of them, the bottom line appeared to be developing a plan that addresses the elements of fuels reduction, stewardship and forest health, then sticking with the plan over time.

Three of the speakers have agreed to let us post their presentations on the website. You can download each of the presentations in PDF format from below, but be aware that some of them are pretty large files due to the embedded images.

Angela Mallon, a private forestry assistance specialist for the DNRC observed that interest in reducing fuels often serves as a catalyst for getting landowners involved in stewardship.  Ms. Mallon was responsible for the grant selection process that resulted in the North Fork’s recent fuels reduction grant.  She cited North Fork fire history, and the demonstrated willingness of landowners to work to mitigate risk, as reasons for the North Fork’s selection.  Both Ms. Mallon and Bill Swope, project administrator for the new grant, stressed the importance of shaded fuel breaks and ingress/egress.

2012 Fuels Reduction Grant update

As of late August, 2012, fifteen North Fork landowners have signed cost-share agreements under the North Fork’s third hazardous fuels reduction grant.  A total of $53,465 has been obligated.  The total amount of the grant is approximately $100,000.  The Fire Mitigation Committee encourages landowners who are interested in participating in the program to apply.  The expiration for the grant is September 30, 2014. For more information, download the NW Montana Hazardous Fuels: Landowners’ Guide to Cost-Share Funding from here