22 Winter 2010 Applegater
National Fire Plan Grant success
stories and how you can help
BY TIM GONZALES
Since the implementation
of the 2001 National Fire Plan
(NFP), federal funds have
been allocated to encourage
private landowners to make
their properties more wildfire-
resilient. The goal of the NFP
is to protect communities
from wildfires. Two main
tools to achieve the goal are
thinning dense vegetation to
slow fire spread, and educating
landowners on ways to create
properties with good fire safety
standards. NFP funds were
awarded in grants to non-
profit organizations, rural fire
departments, counties, and state
forestry departments.
One such grant was awarded to the Illinois Valley
Community Development Organization (IVCDO) in
the O’Brien area south of Cave Junction. The project
work is being administered in partnership with the
Illinois Valley Fire Department (IVFD) and is credited
with saving at least one home along Lone Mountain
Road. Grant work is still in process, but last August
(2009) a fire started near Lone Mountain Road and
spread rapidly in dense, dry fuels. Quite predictably
for fires in the Illinois Valley, the Lone Mountain Fire
traveled northeast, right toward the town of O’Brien.
Due to typical afternoon summer winds, the fire soon
had flame lengths exceeding 100 feet, and moved
upon homes and other structures. Fortunately, several
properties in the line of fire had already benefited from
hazardous fuel-reduction work either through the NFP
grant or by the homeowners themselves. Regrettably, the
fast-moving fire destroyed five buildings but thankfully,
no one lost their home. Two homes were spared thanks
to fuel reduction around the house creating a defensible
space, and access/escape routes providing safe passage
for fire trucks. Along one driveway work had just been
completed, resulting in a dramatic reduction of dense
brush and small trees which allowed an IVFD fire truck
access. That fire company assisted the property owner
in saving his house and evacuating livestock and pets.
The outcome of another grant was also positive.
Ashland Fire and Rescue developed the fuels-reduction
prescription and coordinated the project. The work,
performed by Lomakatsi Restoration Project, is credited
with helping save at least 30 homes in the south Ashland
area. In September 2009, less than one month after
the dangerous Lone Mountain Fire, a fire started near
Siskiyou Boulevard just 3.6 miles from downtown
Ashland. Like the Lone Mountain Fire, the Siskiyou
Fire spread quickly but in a westerly direction (due to
strong dry east winds) toward hundreds of homes near
Tolman Creek Road. The fire moved so quickly that
several residents did not know about the fire until it was
on their property. Unfortunately, one home and three
other buildings were destroyed. It was truly amazing,
however, that more property damage did not occur.
Considering that over 160 homes were threatened
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and150 homes were evacuated, the Siskiyou Fire had
the potential to do far more damage. As the fire traveled
through dense vegetation, it arrived at the parcels treated
by Lomakatsi, and flame lengths and fire intensities were
reduced, enabling firefighters to stop the fire before it
reached Tolman Creek Road. One resident near Tolman
Creek Road attributes the work performed on her 20
acres to saving her home which was in the line of fire.
These are success stories. Our goal is to limit
property damage, and avoid injuries to both the
public and firefighters. The fires were contained at
approximately 50 and 190 acres respectively because
of able fire responders, excellent fire commanders, and
available resources. But enough cannot be said about
how the lack of fuel continuity retarded the spread of
wildfires, thereby contributing to these successes. The
unsung heroes in this success story are the diligent,
responsible landowners who either signed up for
available grant help or reduced hazardous fuels on their
own recognizance.
While firefighting is obviously inherently
dangerous work, we as a society have a responsibility
to make it as safe as possible by providing a safer fire
environment near our homes. While paid state and
federal firefighters have the enormous job of corralling
a fire along its perimeter, city and rural fire departments
(rural fire departments are composed mostly of
volunteers) have the onerous responsibility of protecting
residents and helping to evacuate occupants. By not
providing adequate fire safety standards at our homes,
we put ourselves and our firefighters at unnecessary risks.
Let us not forget the fire in Southern California in 2009
which consumed 209 structures. As climate change is
slowly altering our environment to encourage larger,
more severe fires, it is more urgent than ever to provide
more defensible space for our firefighters.
Dozens of NFP grants have been awarded to date
in Jackson and Josephine Counties over the last seven
years. Over 20,000 acres of private land have been treated
through the grants. Many other landowners have treated
their property on their own. There are still active cost-
share grants available in both counties. There are also
special needs grants which pay 100 percent if you qualify.
If you are interested in having
your property assessed for fire
safety, please call meand I will
provide you the phone number
to contact the organization in
your area.
Ti m G o n z a l e s i s a
Fire Mitigation & Education
Specialist for the BLM in Grants
Pass, OR. and can be reached
at 541-471-6643. Tim has fire
qualifications which include:
Incident Commander Type III,
Wildland Fire Investigator,
Division/Group Supervisor,
Safety Officer II and Structure
Protection Specialist.
Tim Gonzales • 541-471-6643