HFT Grant Programs

Hazardous Fuels Treatment Grant funding may be available to assist private landowners and communities living in the Wildland-Urban Interface within Missoula, Mineral and Ravalli Counties as follows:

1. Assist private landowners and communities reduce hazardous fuels while improving forest health on private lands, and
2. Help landowners create and maintain defensible space around their homes from wildland fire, and
3. Improve the health and vigor of private forest lands.

Applications from individual landowners, groups of homeowners, and communities are solicited yearlong.  All project proposals will be considered; however, the following criteria will be followed in prioritizing project proposals for funding:

1. Proximity to National Forest land, Wildland-Urban Interface boundary.
2. Location of property(s) to the High Risk areas delineated on the current Community Wildfire Protection Plan fire risk maps.
3. Cooperative projects proposed by multiple landowners and/or communities.
4. Cooperative projects to protect Municipal watershed values.
5. Cooperative projects to protect other high values at risk.
6. Cooperative projects that are critical fire control points to protect more than one landowner and creates enhancement of access by fire protection agencies.
7. Landowners who have previously demonstrated a commitment to reducing fuel hazards.
8. Areas that demonstrate good, solid community support for reducing fuel hazards in areas where hazardous fuel treatment has not taken place.
9. Projects that will demonstrate success to others.

Hazardous fuels reduction projects may be cost-shared on a 50:50 matching basis.  In-kind services will be considered in the cost-share calculation.  

The purpose of this funding is to (1) reduce the fire risk by decreasing the chances of a stand replacement crown fire moving through forested areas, and (2) decrease the ladder fuels, thus decreasing the chances of a fire burning on the ground from entering the crowns of the standing trees and becoming a major fire.  General specifications for treatment are to reduce the crown density by the thinning trees to an average of 10 feet between crowns; pruning lower branches up to 10 feet or 1/3rd the height of the tree, whichever is less; and treating all slash created by thinning and pruning as well as any existing fuel concentrations.  These requirements may vary given the timber type, access, slope, aspect and other on-the-ground variables.  Each project is designed by the Bitter Root RC&D Community Forester for each individual property taking into account those factors mentioned above and melding in the landowner’s desires for their property.

The Bitter Root RC&D Community Foresters work with each individual landowner and, if the landowner hires a contractor, their contractor to administer the project for the landowner.  This administration includes setting up the project area, possibly marking trees that need to be removed or left (whichever is easier), putting together the agreement, working with the landowner and contractor to ensure the required work is understood and completed, performing periodic and final inspections to ensure the work is completed according to the grant requirements and prescription, reviewing project costs for payment, and submitting payments.  Refer to the document titled “Steps for the landowner after receiving a grant” for more specifics about the grant program.

 

Grant application forms are available at the Bitter Root RC&D office in Hamilton.  An application form can also be obtained from the Bitter Root RC&D web site at www.bitterrootrcd.org. 

 

Applications will be accepted yearlong for cost-share funding and will be kept on file for future reference and grant opportunities.  For more information, assistance on filling out the application, or for questions regarding this grant, please contact the Community Forester, Byron Bonney.  He can be reached at one of the following: 

Cell phone: (406) 544-5126.

E-mail – bitterrootrcd@cybernet1.com, or Bitter Root RC&D: (406) 363-5450.

Cooperative support involving the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Bitter Root RC&D, the Bitterroot and Lolo National Forests, the Bitterroot Wildland Urban Interface Task Force, and the local Fire Departments will ensure the success of this program.