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Council Exceeds Goal of Ten Community Chapters in 2002
At its regularly scheduled meeting on September 26, 2002, the Nevada Fire Safe Council Board of Directors approved the formal affiliation of its eleventh chapter, exceeding the goal set for this year. Since January 1, 2002, the board has approved the following chapters:
Fire Safe Highlands
Glenbrook
Spring Valley/Dbl. Springs
Clear Creek
Galena Forest Unit I
Ward Mountain
Mt. Charleston
Elk Springs
Snake Valley
Ruby Valley
Hidden Woods
Our inaugural chapter, Fire Safe Highlands, has completed several important projects including the strategic installation of water storage tanks, designation of evacuation routes, fuel removal and defensible space creation on private home sites, and the installation of fire danger signs. Glenbrook is about to launch a major fuel reduction project that will clean up a very hazardous area of the community. Community fire safe plans for Holbrook and Shanty Town are in final review with completion scheduled for October. All other chapters are in various stages of project planning and have submitted proposals for funding to support hazardous fuel removal work. Grant proposals submitted to the Nevada Division of Forestry will be under review over the next several months with award notification scheduled for July, 2003.
The Board of Directors normally meets on the fourth Thursday of the month, at the Washoe County Extension Office, beginning at 9:00 A.M.
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Council sees Success in Both Grant Funding and Membership
Starting the year with under 50 members, the ranks of the Fire Safe Council are now approaching 250. Spurred by devastating fires across the West, residents in high risk communities have become motivated to increase their chances of surviving a wildfire.
The council has also been very successful in securing National Fire Plan funding. Over this past year the Nevada Fire Safe Council has received over $1 million in grant awards to offset operating costs, develop local chapters, complete plans, remove hazardous fuels, and explore the utilization of biomass.
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Council Completes Strategic Planning Session
Led by Mike Havercamp, a well known and highly regarded facilitator, the board spent an afternoon focused on the future direction of the council. Increasing the number of successful chapters and general membership, accelerating the pace of hazardous fuel removal, securing public and private funding, promoting successes and streamlining the grant application and approval process were all high on the agenda. Two themes were prevalent throughout the discussion; first, when it comes to protecting and improving the survivability of Nevada communities the board wants the council to be a leader and not a follower; and second, the board wants the public agencies to be much more than a source of funding but real partners in fulfulling our mission.
To move forward the board established the following standing committees:
Media and Public Relations: Ed Smith, Pat Murphy, Willie Riggs, and Kathryn Hooper
Annual Meeting and Conference: Ronna Hubbard, Bob Knutson, Kathryn Hooper, Charlene Meenan, Pat Murphy and Ed Smith
Corporate Sponsorship: Mickey Yarbro, Fred Zaga, Willie Riggs, and Jim Werbeckes
Legislative Affairs: Fred Zaga, Bill Whitney, Mickey Yarbro, and Jim Werbeckes
Chapter Expansion: Charleen Meenan, Bob Knutson, and Penny LeVee
If you have an interest in serving on any of these committees contact the first board member listed or Elwood MIller at (775) 322-2413
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Fire Safe Council Coordinator Approved for Tahoe
The Tahoe Resource Conservation District has received funding to hire a fire safe council coordinator for the Tahoe Basin. With the Nevada Fire Safe Council already working with several communities on the Nevada side of the lake, coordination of efforts will be extremely important. After several discussions it has been agreed that the newly hired coordinator will concentrate on developing local community councils on the California side of the lake with help and assistance from the Nevada Fire Safe Council. Elwood Miller has agreed to assist with writing the position description and completing the hiring process.
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Council Board Loses Two Valuable Members
Gary Zunino (Elko), and Anne Bothwell (Holbrook), citing personal reasons, have resigned their seats on the board. Gary was one of the early founders of the Nevada Fire Safe Council and worked tirelessly to ensure representation and consideration for rural issues. He was instrumental in launching the planning and fuel reduction work for the Shantytown project. Anne was elected to the board in the spring of 2002 and was well known for her hard work to stimulate local community interest and coordinate the fuel reduction project in Holbrook. Both are genuinely missed. Elected as an alternate at our annual meeting, Bob Knutson has stepped in and filled one of the vacancies. The other seat remains vacant.
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Why Do Houses Burn?
Simply stated, houses burn because they ignite. But what are the factors that lead to home ignition under wildfire conditions? Dr. Jack Cohen has spent much of his research career seeking answers to this question. Studing the aftermath of disastrous fires and staging fires under controlled conditions he has discovered that home ignition depends on 1) the fuel characteristics of the home itself, and 2) the heat sources within 100-200 ft. of the structure. This area around the house is what he calls the critical home ignition zone.
Ignition occurs from high temperatures generated by fuel within this critical zone or firebrands falling on the house. Major changes within the critical ignition zone such as replacing a flammable roof, screening vents, and reducing the volume of hazardous fuels by removing trees and brush can significantly reduce the potential of ignition. Removing firewood piles, dead vegetation, leaves, needles, grass, etc. from on and immediately adjacent to the structure can provide an added measure of protection. Remember home ignitions can occur from low intensity fires as well as a raging crown fire.
Council Board Employs CPA
The Council has finalized a contract for accounting services with Jenny Frayer, CPA. Prior to her retirement, Jenny was a highly regarded administrator and accountant for UNR.
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Biomass, How Much Can We Count On?
One of the most significant obstacles to completing hazardous fuel removal is the question of biomass disposal. On other words, where do you take the "stuff" or how do you get rid of it? Conventional approaches include piling and burning, chipping and dispersal back on the land, composting, or hauling it to a landfill. Recently considerable effort has been focused on finding better ways to add value and develop a beneficial use for the boimass generated. The council board is looking at several possibilities focusing on Carson City as a regional center for the collection and processing of biomass.
Possibilities for beneficial use include:
Gasification: Thermal processing of biomass to produce a burnable gas which can power a turbine coupled to a generator for the production of electricity.
Biocrude: Utilizing pyrolysis or liquefaction processes to produce a clean burning oil which can be used as a fuel oil substitute.
Construction material: Combining wood fiber with concrete or plastic can produce a resilient and workable construction product.
Pelletizing: Compressed logs and pellets can be produced for home heating and direct combustion for power generation.
While there are many other possibilities, the overriding questions are how much feedstock is available, what are its characteristics, and is the supply sustainable? A study is nearing completion to answer these questions for the Tahoe Basin. In the near future, the council board will be distributing a request for proposal to conduct a study to answer these questions for the East slope of the Sierras.
End of quarterly report
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