SFTR received a grant for fuels reduction in the amount of $244,000. We have four years to spend the money, but sooner is preferred, since rules on unspent dollars can change abruptly. We would like to accomplish much of this work as soon as possible.
The goal is to reduce the wildfire threat to SFTR by reducing fuel loads on individual lots and by establishing fuel break corridors throughout the ranch. This is a long term effort which many folks have participated in during past years. This grant will help us continue to improve forest health and further mitigate the wildfire threat on our ranch. Much of the grant money will be directed at starting fuel break corridors and fuel reduction along roadways. This will allow safer ingress/egress in the event of a wildfire, will help protect our electrical power infrastructure, and in some cases will offer firefighters a safe location where a wildfire may be stopped.
The Forest Health and Wildfire Mitigation committee met on July 21 to plan our approach, which is outlined below.
The money will be tentatively allocated as follows:
The grant stipulates that a maximum of $470 per acre will be reimbursed. As with all previous grants, this grant will only reimburse expenses. Unlike all previous grants, in-kind work to match the grant amount is not required. The grant only covers new clearing efforts; maintenance of previously mitigated areas is not covered.
Internal fuel breaks: J Aufderheide has developed a plan to reduce fuels along Tall Oaks. Other such proposals can be funded ($470/acre limit) under this grant. We are looking for proposals that show collaboration between neighbors to reduce fuels along roads. Depending on terrain, a total 250 ft width is preferred (includes roadway), with 10 to 20 ft spacing between tree crowns within that corridor. The CWPP specifies several such corridors (Table 4, p 20), and those roadways will get preference, but other proposed road segments will be evaluated and prioritized. Tony Riley and Joe Richards are coordinating this effort. Please email Tony with ideas at original_riley at msn.com (replace "at" with @).
The SFTR Community Wildfire Preparedness Plan is on the web. csfs.colostate.edu/pages/documents/SFTR_CWPP_Final_PDF.pdf
For individual lot work, the generalized process is as follows: The individual lot owner writes a plan/description of work to be done; our district forester does an on-site survey to approve the plan; the actual work is performed; then an after-action survey by the forester will take place before any reimbursement can be made. Anyone interested in individual lot fuel reduction for defensible space and forest health improvement may email Michelle Blake at michelle1colorado at gmail.com (replace "at" with @).
More details on how to get started on internal fuel break segments and on individual lot plans will be provided in the near future to anyone who responds via email.
RC Ghormley, Chair, SFTR Forest Health and Wildfire Mitigation Committee, acting under the auspices of the POA Community Preparedness Committee chaired by Fred Streiff.