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WILDLAND FIRE

PREVENTION PLAN

2016-2025

Photo taken by Brandon Sutton

Devil’s Elbow Complex Fire 2014

age

Preparer:

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Prevention Assistant

Date

Colville Agency Approval:

____________________________________

Fire Management Officer

Date

_________________________________

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Forest Manager

Date

_________________________________

Date

Superintendent

Tribal Concurrence:

___________________________________

Chairman

Date

Reviewed for Policy Compliance:

___________________________________

Regional Prevention Specialist

Recommended for Approval:

Date

________________________________

Regional Forester

Regional Director

Date

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FIGURES LIST..............................................................................................................................4

TABLES LIST……………………………………………………………….….…..…………….5

APPENDICES………………………………………………………………….……...………….6

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY…………………………………………………….………......…….7

II.

III.

Introduction………………………………………………………………………..……8

A. Purpose and Scope………………………………………………………………8

B. Management Goals and Objectives………………………………………..……8

C. Collaborative Process……………………………………………………….…..8

Situational Analysis……………………………………………………………….….…9

A. Description of Area………………………………………………………..….…9

B. Description of Fire History……………..……………………………………....10

C. History of Prevention Efforts……………………………………………..…….12

D. Prevention Strategy…………………………………………………………......14

E. Fire Management Unit (FMU) Assessment……...………………….……….…14

F. Community Assessment………...……………………………………………...15

G. Fuels Assessment…………………………………………………………........16

H. Fiscal Analysis…………………………………………………………….........19

1. Prevention Options…………..………...……………………………….......19

2. Workload Analysis……………...…………………………………….…....19

3. Effectiveness Analysis…………………………….…………………..…...21

4. Budget Development………………………………….……………..…….24

5. Benefit-Cost Analysis……………………………………………………...25

Implementation………………………………………………………………………...26

A. Program Policy Requirements…………………………………………..……..26

B. General Action Descriptions………….………………………………………..27

C. Specific Action Descriptions…….…………………………….……………….31

D. Community Action Descriptions…………………………………………........35

E. Structural Ignitability Mitigation Options……………………………………..35

F. Prioritized Hazardous Fuels Reduction Areas..…………………………..…...36

G. Annual Planning Calendar……………………………………………………..37

H. Supporting Plans……………………………………………………………….38

I. Accountability………………………………………………………………….38

J. Supporting Appendices…..……………………………………………………..39

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 Colville Reservation FMZ

Map………………….………………………….…18

LIST OF TABLES

Table #1Fire History by Cause

Category.……………….…………………..……..……..11

Table #2Composite FMU Assessment

Rating……….……………………………………15

Table #3Composite Community Assessment

Rating..……………………………………15

Table #4Prevention Workload

Analysis…………………………………….…………….21

Table #5Effectiveness

Table……………………………………………………………....22

Table #6Budget

Summary……...…………………………………………………………23

Table #7Expense

Items……………………………………………………………………24

Table #9General

Actions…….…………………………..………………………………..29

Table #10Specific

Actions……………………………………..………………………...…33

Table #12Structural

Ignitability..………………………...…………………………………35

APPENDICES

Appendix A

Documentation of Program Support

Appendix B

Documentation of Tribal Support

Appendix C

LEO SOP

Appendix D

RAMS MDB File on CD and/or Printouts Including Tables

Appendix E

Preparedness Plan

Appendix F

Burn Permit System

Appendix G

INVF Policies and Procedures

Appendix H

Community Assistance Information

Appendix I

Smokey Bear Guidelines

Appendix J

Accomplishment Reporting Forms

Appendix K

Inspection Forms

Appendix L

Communications Plan

Appendix M Patrol Plan

Appendix N

Sign Plan

Appendix O

Annual Planning Calendar

Appendix P

Recommended Position Description

Appendix Q

Electronic Cop of WFPP (PDF and Word processing formats)

Executive Summary

The last Wildfire Prevention Plan (WFPP) for the Colville Tribes was prepared in 2010. As

a five-year plan, it was scheduled for revision in 2016. This revision is tiered to the current

Colville Tribes Fire Management Plan (FMP), and meets the current Bureau of Indian Affairs

(BIA) equivalency standards for a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). This

process involves collaboration with several stakeholders, community risk assessment, fuels

treatment analysis, and addresses structural ignitability.

Risk Assessment Mitigation Strategies (RAMS) software was used to conduct risk

assessments, develop workloads, and estimate effectiveness of the various options

considered. The result of the RAMS workload analysis indicates a sufficient workload exists

one full-time Prevention Officer and one full-time Prevention Assistant.

Both the WFPP and FMP identify human causes as the primary source of ignition for

wildfires within the boundaries of the Colville Reservation. Both plans also identify the

close partnership with the rural fire departments from the interior and exterior boundaries of

the reservation for prevention, detection, and suppression of wildfires across the reservation.

It should be noted that the Colville Tribes has compacted the functions of the BIA for

preparedness including wildfire prevention under Self Governance.

The primary objective of any wildfire prevention plan is to reduce unwanted human caused

ignitions. Currently, the Colville Tribes experiences an estimated annual average of 69

human caused fires a year. Each year approximately 10,809 acres of Trust and restricted title

lands are burned within the jurisdictional boundaries of the Colville Reservation. The

numbers of fires and acres burned annually have been derived from the Department of

Interior’s (DOI) official reporting system, Wildland Fire Management Information System or

WFMI.

Since the last plan was written in 2010, there has been an over-all reduction in human caused

fires on the Colville Reservation. Previously there was an average annual of 85 wildland

fires per year on the Colville Reservation. That number has dramatically been reduced to

approximately 69 fires per year. This shows that the Prevention Program at Mount Tolman

Fire Center has played a vital role in over-all the reduction of wildland fires on the Colville

Reservation.

This WFPP is a basis for funding a Prevention Officer and Prevention Technician. Base

salary, employee benefit cost, support, and indirect cost for both positions are $204,660.

The 2016-2025 WFPP will target human caused incendiary ignitions by using various

prevention activities from the Wildfire Prevention Strategies PMS455/NFES1572, March

1998 as recommended by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Introduction

Purpose and Scope

The purpose of this Wildland Fire Prevention Plan (WFPP) is to further define the Prevention

and Education Strategy contained in the Colville Indian Reservation Wildland Fire

Management Plan, approved June 3, 2002. This WFPP is being written for the period of

2016-2025. This document will provide direction and guidance for the implementation of

wildland fire prevention and hazard mitigation strategies for the Bureau of Indian Affairs

(BIA), Colville Agency within the jurisdictional boundaries of the Colville Indian

Reservation. This document also meets the requirements under 90 IAM 1.4C (6)-H Wildland

Fire Management Policies and Responsibilities (Chapter 1.1) for agency superintendents and

as directed in 620 DM 1, Section 1.6 A-2 Wildland Fire Management Strategies and Section

1.8- Education and Prevention.

Management Goals and Objectives

The following management goals have been identified by the Colville Agency Wildland Fire

Prevention Plan:

1. Provide for firefighter and public safety.

2. Reduce the danger of wildfire to people as well as structural damage in the Wildland

Urban Interface (WUI).

3. Reduce unintentional human caused ignitions by ten percent (10%) within the

jurisdictional boundaries of the Colville Confederated Tribes Reservation over the

next ten years.

4. Attend district meetings and general membership meetings of the Colville Tribes to

keep the membership informed.

Changes have been made to the management and goals from the previous WFPP 2011-2015.

Previously, there were a total of 6 goals and this plan reduced that number to 4, to help make

the goals more attainable.

Collaborative Process

This revision was developed collaboratively with input from: the Fire Prevention staff, the

Fuels Planning staff, dispatch, and the Fire Management Officer at Mount Tolman Fire

Center. We also attained valuable input from the BIA Colville Agency Staff, and the Colville

Tribes’ Land and Property Director. We also had the help of the Colville Tribal Police

Department and the Regional WUI/Prevention Specialist.

II. Situational Analysis

Description of Unit

The Colville Indian Reservation land base covers approximately 1.4 million acres or 2,100

square miles located in North Central Washington in Okanogan and Ferry counties. The

reservation consists of tribally owned lands held in federal trust status for the Confederated

Tribes, land owned by individual Colville tribal members, most of which is held in federal

trust status, and land owned by others, described as fee property and taxable by counties.

The Reservation, the largest in the State of Washington, measures approximately 35 miles

north to south and 80 miles east to west. About 610,000 acres of the Reservation are in

Okanogan County and 782,000 acres in Ferry County. More specifically, the Reservation is

bounded on the east and south by the Columbia River, on the west by the Okanogan River

and on the north by the township line common to Townships 34 and 35 North, Willamette

Meridian. Much of the Reservation is mountainous covered by conifer forest, but lands

bordering the Okanogan and Columbia Rivers are arid and naturally covered with vegetation

of steppe environments. About 1,023,700 acres of the Reservation are in tribal trust and the

remaining lands are in a non-trust status (owned by private individuals or corporations). The

Colville Reservation’s Fire Management has initial attack responsibility over all the land

within the bounds of the reservation. Colville Reservation lands are diverse with natural

resources including standing timber, streams, rivers, lakes, minerals, varied terrain, native

plants and wildlife.

The larger population centers on the Colville Reservation include: Nespelem, Keller, Elmer

City and Coulee Dam in the central portion, Inchelium on the eastern portion and East Omak

on the western boundary. In addition to Reservation communities, a large number of people

live in more rural locations throughout the Reservation. This wildland urban interface (WUI)

continues to increase each year.

Most fee lands are owned by non-Indians, while some fee lands are owned both by the tribes

and individual tribal members. Small amounts of land within the Reservation are owned by,

or held in easement by, the U.S. Government, State of Washington, Ferry County or

Okanogan County. These publicly owned lands are mostly rights-of-way associated with

highway and road construction or dams and developments. The total trust land amounts to

approximately 1,063,200 acres, of which 1,023,700 acres are tribal lands and 39,500 acres,

are allotted lands. Fee land acreage is approximately 321,886 acres. The amount of lands

under tribal ownership is continuing to increase with the tribal policy of buying fee and

allotted land (U.S. Bureau of Reclamation 1979).

B. Description of the Fire History

As with most of the BIA fire programs across the United States the Colville Agency uses

Form DI-1202 to document fires occurring on the reservation. Consistent report

documentation of fires stretches back to the 1950s. For the ten-year period (2005-2014) the

primary, human-caused fires came from incendiary use. Incendiary fires are caused from:

trash burning, field burning, slash burning, grudge fires, recurrent fires, employment fires,

blasting, and fireworks.

For the last five-year period (2010-2014) the human caused fire categories have changed

slightly from the previous ten-year period (2005-2014). The three major types of human

caused wildfires on the Colville Reservation include: incendiary, fire use, and equipment.

The category of fire use includes: trash burning, burning dump, field burning, land clearing,

slash burning, right-of-way, and resource management. The last main category is equipment

which includes fires that are caused by: aircrafts, vehicles, exhaust, brakes, blasting, and

power lines.

On the eastern half of the Colville Reservation the main human caused fire type is fire use,

with a secondary fire type, which is equipment. On the western half of the Colville

Reservation the main fire type is incendiary fires. However, equipment fires still pose a

threat on the western half.

Human caused fires totaled 108,096 acres during the past ten years with an average of 10,809

acres per year. The number of human caused fires in the last ten years is 686 with an average

annual of 69 human caused fires per year. The trend is going downward in the number of

human caused fires per year. From 2000-2010, the average number of fires per year was

approximately 85 human caused fires.

As seen in Table 1 the major causes of fire on the Colville Indian Reservation are human

caused. It is nearly a 2:1 relationship to natural caused fires. Incendiary is the leading cause

of fires across the entire Colville Reservation. Fire use is second leading human cause

category for the Reservation. Equipment is third leading human cause fire type on the

Reservation.

C. History of Prevention Efforts

The Colville Confederated Tribes has partaken in a wildfire prevention program for many

years prior to this plan revision. The prevention program at Mount Tolman Fire Center

(MTFC) laid an excellent foundation for continued success in the future for wildland fire

prevention. The WFPP will be reviewed annually by the prevention staff at the MTFC.

When the new plan (2016-2025) is approved at the regional level, it will replace the 20112015 WFPP.

A Prevention Program Review was conducted by the Northwest Regional Office (NWRO) in

February 2015. The following summary was provided by the NWRO WUI/Prevention

Specialist: The last WFPP placed an emphasis on juvenile fire setting. This was incorrect and

prevention efforts were, in turn, misguided away from incendiary, equipment and fire use

causes. This will be corrected in the 2016 WFPP Revision. Staffing the Wildfire Prevention

Program has been unstable. This has led to poor record keeping and a lack of prevention

skills in the prevention program. The current staff is doing a remarkable job when

considering the lack of prevention background and disarray of files. The lead position is

currently advertised and only time will tell if stability occurs. The burn permit system is well

managed. The prevention program works with the Tribal Council to ensure fireworks are

safely sold & used without detracting from the economic benefits of Tribal members. There

was confusion on the inclusion of prevention line items within severity requests. Past

prevention severity requests had been denied. This should not occur in the future and the

Colville prevention staff will notify the NWRO WUI/Prevention Specialist prior to a severity

request so that approval process can be coordinated. A copy of the review has been included

in Appendix J.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs-Branch of Wildland Fire Management at the National

Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) has established policies for Wildland Fire Prevention.

Wildland Fire Prevention Plans are essential to secure long-term prevention program funds.

It is also the BIA-NIFC policy for a Wildland Fire Prevention Program to address the

required elements listed below.

Wildland Fire Management Plan: The Colville Agency’s Fire Management Plan was last

updated and signed in 2002 and is not due for change or review until the Integrated

Resources Management Plan for the Colville Reservation is reviewed. A copy of the

Signature page approving the WFMP can be found in Appendix B.

Program Support: The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation have supported the

Fire Prevention Program since its inception, and continue to do so today. The newest Colville

Tribal resolution supporting the Fire Prevention Program can be found in Appendix A.

Program support from the Colville Tribe is necessary to the Prevention Program at Mount

Tolman Fire Center.

Fire Investigation Policy and Procedures: A system for investigating and documenting

cause and origin of all ignitions in place and will be adopted upon approval. Appendix G

includes the policy and procedures along with CCT Tribal Codes and legal citations. The Fire

Investigation Policy is adopted for the CCT with the approval of the 2016 CCT Wildfire

Prevention Plan Revision.

Law Enforcement SOP: The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has been adopted by the

CCT for coordinating wildfire investigations with law enforcement. This SOP describes the

authority and actions to be taken by wildfire investigator when working with tribal police and

BIA Office of Justice Services. A copy of the SOP is provided in Appendix C.

Burn Permit System:

The prevention program issues burn permits in accordance with tribal codes. Enforcement of

the burn permit regulations are the responsibility of the Colville Tribal Police Department.

Historical Accomplishments: Historical data consists of the last ten year period from 20052014. During this time a Prevention Workload Analysis was completed and it showed that a

full time Prevention Officer and seasonal assistant were needed for the Prevention Program.

Planned accomplishments for 2009-2015

The majority hours for the prevention program were planned for fire danger rating, burn

permits, patrolling, and fire investigations. This includes making contact with those who are

maintaining fire danger ratings, issuing burn permits, patrolling the Colville Reservation

according to the guidelines in Appendix M, and conducting fire investigations during

summer months as necessary.

Other significant hours were planned for school programs, public utilities management,

prevention committee, residential inspections and follow up inspections, and individual

public contact. This includes presenting safety messages to local schools, coordinating with

public utility providers, participating in prevention meetings, inspecting burn pits and

following up with another inspection, and making contact with individuals in the course of

doing daily work, such as patrols.

D. Prevention Strategy

The Colville Reservation plays an important role in wildland fire prevention with its partners

– local cooperators and surrounding communities. Many opportunities exist for the Colville

Confederated Tribes to join forces with the surrounding co-operators in event activities and

training to present a consistent wildfire prevention message to the public on and off the

reservation. A wildfire prevention strategy has been developed for the Colville Confederated

Tribes using the National Wildfire Coordinating Group Publication Wildfire Prevention

Strategies, (NFES 1572) March 1998. This strategy also specifically addresses the criteria

required by BIA Wildfire Prevention Policy.

The strategy used in the previous plan (2010-2014) was fairly effective in mitigating and

reducing human caused fires on the Colville Reservation. According to the WFMI data, the

number one cause of fires during 2005-2014 was related to incendiary starts, while

equipment and fire use are the next most common causes. The best way to tackle this

problem is by mass media in a variety of methods including: radio, written, television,

general, and world wide web. Another effective approach involves high visibility patrol and

fire prevention. Furthermore, there will be an increase in target accomplishment hours for

public education, printed materials, and specific campaign development.

Cultural awareness continues to be a hallmark of the Colville Reservation’s Fire Prevention.

Sensitivity and respect for the traditional values are the success of any prevention, education,

or community activity. Fire Management will continue to coordinate all prevention and

education activities to respect the traditional values of the Colville Confederated Tribes and

its individual bands.

E. Fire Management Unit (FMU) Assessment

The CCT fire management plan describes 4 Fire Management Zones (FMZ). Since there will

be no differences of activities within those FMZ’s all the FMZ’s are now one FMZ for

RAMS and this WFPP. A description of the 4 FMZ’s is included, even though they are not

singled out.

The original WFPP was written with Fire Management Zones (FMZ). These FMZs are the

different fuel types across the Colville Reservation. For the evaluation of fuels and expected

fire behavior, the Reservation has been divided into four Fire Management Zones (FMZ’s).

The FMZs are separated into the following categories: FMZ 1 Low elevation grass, FMZ 2

Low elevation timber, FMZ 3 Mid elevation timber, FMZ 4 High elevation Timber.

Prevention actions apply to the entire Colville Reservation and because of this the analysis

led to designating one compartment for the entire reservation.

Table 2 - Composite FMU Assessment Summary

Fire Management Zone

Fire Prevention

Planning Unit.

Representative

Location or Prevention

Compartment

Compartment #1

Colville Reservation

Risk Ranking

High

F. Community Assessment

There are 16 viable communities within the Colville Confederated Tribes Fire

Management initial attack boundary. They are ranked high to low in Table 3 below.

The National Fire Plan identifies the need to work with local communities to provide

assistance regarding hazard mitigation, public education, develop community action

plans and applying prevention techniques. In order to identify the communities

needing assistance, each state along with their federal partners were tasked with

evaluating their communities and ranking them as to their relative risk to wildland

fire. Washington State formed an Interagency Coordinating Group to accomplish this

task. Communities were selected and evaluated, based on, location within a fire

department district, and the danger to that community to damage from wildfire. From

the evaluation, a list was generated and forwarded on to identify communities, which

were to be placed in to the Federal Register under a “Communities at Risk” category.

The communities included in this assessment which are located within the Colville

Reservation were selected based on four criteria: 1) listed in the Federal Register as a

Community at Risk from wildland fire, 2) a subdivision or housing development in

which many Native Americans live, 3) a community of interest to the BIA and/or

Colville Tribes, 4) a subdivision or housing development in which FIREWISE

principles are not being implemented. Those communities meeting these criteria are

listed in Table 3.

Table 3 - Composite Community Assessment Ranking

High

#13 Roger's Bar

#10 Keller*

#14 Kewa

#12 Inchelium*

#5 Disautel*

#6 Nespelem*

Moderate

#7 Colville Agency

#15 Twin Lakes*

#3 Okanogan*

#11 West Fork

#16 Coulee Dam

#2 Omak*

Low

#9 Elmer City

#8 Belvedere

#1Malott*

#4 Ft.Okanogan

“*” Denotes communities listed on the 2001 Federal Register of Communities at Risk.

G. Fuels Assessment

For the evaluation of fuels and expected fire behavior, the Reservation has been divided into

four FMZ’s. The FMZ’s are separated in the following: FMZ 1 low elevation grass, FMZ 2

low elevation timber, FMZ 3 mid elevation timber, FMZ 4 high elevation Timber. All of

these FMZ’s have a mixture of terrain features that will make suppression complex. These

FMZ’s have terrain that varies from flat to 100%.

The highest priority areas include the FMZ 1 because the fuel types make the fire spread

faster than other FMZ’s. FMZ 2 is the next priority especially near WUI areas which are

common on the reservation.

FMZ 1 is low elevation grass and is predominant on the western portion of the reservation.

The vegetative fuels consist of Sage Brush, Bitter Brush and Grass with scattered pockets of

timber in valleys and creek bottoms.

Recommended treatments include but not limit to mechanical thinning, hand thinning,

mechanized-piling, hand piling, and prescribed burning. Fuels treatments in this FMZ can

have widely variable duration of impact, depending on the local conditions.

FMZ 2 is low elevation timber and is scattered throughout the southern and eastern portions

of the reservation. This is a transition zone between the FMZ 1 low elevation steppe and

FMZ 3 mid elevation timber. The vegetative fuels consist of timber over story and grass,

sage brush, woody debris, and understory.

Recommended treatments include but not limit to mechanical thinning, hand thinning,

mechanized-piling, hand-piling, and prescribed burning. Fuels treatments in this FMZ can

have widely variable duration of impact, depending on the local conditions.

FMZ 3 is mid elevation timber. This FMZ predominately covers the reservation where the

overstory consists of a mixture of Ponderosa Pine and Douglas-fir. The under story is a mix

of brush, grass, and downed woody debris.

Recommended treatments include but not limit to mechanical thinning, hand thinning,

mechanized-piling, hand-piling, and prescribed burning. Fuels treatments in this FMZ can

have widely variable duration of impact, depending on the local conditions.

FMZ 4 is considered the high elevation timber region. This region is where the overstory

includes more of the Fir specie with scattered Pine and Western Larch. The vegetation

consists mostly of downed woody debris, needle litter, and grass.

Recommended treatments include but not limit to mechanical thinning, hand thinning,

mechanized-piling, hand-piling, and prescribed burning. Fuels treatments in this FMZ can

have widely variable duration of impact, depending on the local conditions.

WUI, although, this is not identified as a separate FMZ, it is a component of the first three

FMZ’s and is characterized by homes intermixed or adjacent to wildland areas. This

component is scattered across the reservation. It is predominantly found in or on the bottom

1/3 of the slope or valley bottoms. The vegetative fuels consist of a mixture of the FMZ’z

plus house hold trash, vehicles, wood piles, and anything else a homeowner may collect

around their homes.

Recommended treatments include but not limit to mechanical thinning, hand thinning,

mechanized-piling, hand piling, and prescribed burning. Fuels treatments in this FMZ can

have widely variable duration of impact, depending on the local conditions.

The Fire Prevention Fire Management Zones presented here coincide with Fire Management

Unit (FMU) Boundaries.

An important goal of the Colville Confederated Tribes is to manage the Tribe’s natural

resources holistically through the development and implementation of the Integrated

Resources Management Plan 2000-2014 that was approved by the Colville Business Council

Resolution 2001-248. The Colville reservation establishes a list of fifteen socio-economic,

ecosystem enhancement, and protection goals to be achieved on the Colville Indian

Reservation. In order to accomplish these goals under direction of the Federal Wildland and

Prescribed Fire Policy and Fire Management Planning Analysis, fire management specific

goals along with standards and guidelines have been established. The Fire Management Plan

objectives for fuels are very comprehensive (See Wildland Fire Management Plan April

2002).

Project level fuels treatment plans will need to be developed for all fuels projects selected for

implementation. Several factors must be evaluated before a project is selected for

implementation including, but not limit to, tribal priorities, current and predicted weather

conditions, availability of qualified staff to conduct any given project, support resource

availability, funding, environmental/cultural constraints, and fuel conditions. The Colville

Confederated Tribes recognize the importance of treating areas around Communities at Risk.

Figure 2 - Colville Reservation Fire Management Zone Map

FMZ 1

FMZ 2

FMZ 3

FMZ 4

FMZ 1- Low elevation grass

FMZ 2- Low elevation timber

FMZ 3- Mid elevation timber

FMZ 4- High elevation timber

H. Fiscal Analysis

1. Prevention Options

Option A-Historical Option: This option consists of the years prior to 2005. For the

purpose of this analysis zero hours were used as a comparison value.

Option B-Proposed Planned Option: This is the proposed plan of prevention activities for

the next ten years from 2016-2025. This option was developed using the strategies described

in pages 71-81 of the Wildfire Prevention Strategies (NFES 1572). Based on the Wildland

Fire Management Data (WFMI), most of human caused fires during the past ten years stem

from incendiary use, equipment, and fire use. The proposed strategies are determined to be

the most effective and address the needs of the reservation.

Option C-Increase of 20% in Actions: This shows a 20% increase in actions of

proposed plan.

Option D-Decrease of 20% in Actions: This shows a 20% decrease in actions of proposed

plan.

Option E-Previous Plan (2011-2015): This is the accomplishment hours planned during the

time frame 2011-2015. The Wildfire Prevention Strategies (NFES 1572) helped determine

where to focus accomplishment hours.

Option F-Average Accomplishments for 2010-2014:

These are the average

accomplishment hours of the five year period. These hours helped conclude where to focus

accomplishment hours for the current planning period 2016-2025.

2. Workload Analysis

The RAMS software has been adopted by BIA-NIFC as national standard software for

developing fire prevention plans.

Rams, WFMI, and fire cost data determine the number of personnel and program dollars

needed to establish an effective fire prevention program. The process consists of an inventory

of the fire prevention actions that are implemented to mitigate damages that result from

human caused fires. These activities include: education, engineering, enforcement and

administration which are outlined in the Colville Reservation Fire Management Plan. These

general approaches are considered by all wildland fire managers when developing a fire

prevention plan.

In the workload analysis, fire prevention activities have been grouped into areas of general or

specific actions. This grouping allows activities to be inventoried by where they occur and

best utilized.

General Actions include activities that affect the entire planning unit (i.e. Reservation).

Examples of these activities include public relations programs aimed at reaching the

population at large, planning, training, etc. General Actions are grouped into categories in the

following areas: education, enforcement, engineering, and administration.

Specific actions include activities that affect a specific geographical area, such as a single

compartment or community. These activities are targeted programs developed for fire

problems identified in the assessment process. Examples of specific actions are cause

specific signing, inspections, individual contacts, patrol, etc. Specific Action activities are

grouped into the following areas: patrol, signs, law enforcement, hazards, public contact,

inspections, and administration.

Community actions were not included in this analysis and the community action hours have

been distributed to like activities in General and Specific Actions. Therefore, community

actions are not included in the RAMS analysis.

Work standards and workload factors have been developed to standardize the outputs for

each of these prevention categories. The work standard is the activity to be performed and

the workload factor is the average time that it would take to accomplish the activity. The

work standards and the workload factors used in this document are based on the past five and

five year period of prevention activity on the Colville Reservation.

Some of the tasks in a specific location may require more or less time than is indicated by the

workload factor.

The workload analysis is used to calculate the total prevention workload for various

geographical areas including: fire management units (FMU), fire management zones (FMZ),

and over all reservation coverage. This is how the prevention program has traditionally

carried out tasks within the Colville Reservation.

Table 4 - Prevention Workload Analysis

Prevention

other relevant wildfire topics.

Provide FI-110 (Origin Protection) training annually to Rural Fire

Departments in an area where investigation are needed.

Conduct 8 public education programs each year.

Conduct 5 school presentations each year.

Staff a booth at fairs, pow wows, and other similar events once a year.

Conduct 1 sports activity for prevention each year.

Design 1 prevention printed material each year.

Place 1 exhibit each year at locations where the target audience can see them.

Conduct 3 Smokey Bear character appearances each year.

Establish public contact with groups 5 times each year.

Develop and maintain 10 key contacts (regional and tribal emergency

managers, rural fire coordinators, CCT councilmen, and tribal elders) each

year.

Coordinate fire prevention activities with 4 other government agencies and

public utilities annually on fire prevention (includes tribal governments,

municipal, county, and state agencies, and other federal agencies).

Properly issue approximately 1000 burn permits annually.

Train employees to issue permits annually if necessary.

Prepare general restriction/closure plans as needed.

Train employees to inspect spark arrestors each year.

Review 25 special use permits for fire prevention each year.

Review 1 contract for fire prevention language.

Review and update 1 patrol plan each year.

Review and update the prevention plan every year.

Review and update the early warning system also known as the preparedness

plan.

Plan and coordinate activities with corporate sponsorship or involvement once

a year.

Plan and coordinate in conjunction with the Colville Tribe for the safe use of

fireworks and related activities.

Table 9 on the following pages specifically lists the general actions to be

implemented within the boundaries of the Colville Confederated Tribes and the

person hours needed to implement those actions.

C. Specific Actions Descriptions

Specific actions refer to those prevention activities that target specific fire causes reservation

wide. These actions are more focused and the results are easier to see and quantify than

general actions. The specific actions identified in this plan concentrate on major cause

categories: incendiary, equipment, and fire use. Incendiary determinations are often selected

as a cause when it is difficult to establish a finding. In contrast, fire use is sufficiently

specific so that an effective prevention program can mitigate the number of unwanted fires.

All of these cause categories can be reduced through adequate utilization of the following

education and enforcement strategies:

1. Provide appropriate information regarding prescribed burning precautions

to tribal members, tribal government, local governments, local cooperators, and the

general public. Convey to the population through public service announcements,

personal contacts, newspaper articles, signing, and other means about MTFC’s

philosophy, timing, location, and reasons for prescribed burning.

2. Explain to burn permit applicants burning precautions, restrictions,

weather conditions, and safe burning practices.

3. Generate fire prevention materials illustrating proper open-burning

precautions and distribute with the burning permits.

4. The fire prevention staff conducts on-site inspections of equipment used

on trust and restricted title lands. This helps to reduce the occurrence of equipment

caused wildfire.

5. An increase of engine and prevention patrols in high occurrence areas

during periods of elevated debris burning and/or high fire danger levels.

The additional prevention activities needed to reduce the amount of wildfire activity are

shown in “Table 10 – Specific Actions.” Since only one compartment was defined for CCT,

Table 10 does not require an overall “summary table.” The actions listed in Table 10 are

bullets with no details. More detailed descriptions follow.

Patrol 245 days each year. Combine patrol with other fire prevention activities to

improve efficiency.

Maintain 10 signs each year by vegetation control, fresh paint, fresh posters, fresh

repairs, and updating information.

Construct 2 more Smokey Bear signs for the Colville Reservation.

Conduct approximately 48 formal investigations of wildfires at the unit where no

responsible party is identified.

Make 600 casual contacts made in the course of doing daily work such as patrol,

where fire prevention was discussed.

Make contact with 3 groups in a local area or to discuss specific fire prevention and

services offered. Examples of groups include scouting organizations, churches, off

road vehicle clubs, equestrian associations, cattlemen associations, logging

contractors and homeowners associations.

Conduct 120 initial residential inspections. These inspections are conducted for the

purpose of reducing risk from wildfires.

Conduct 60 follow-up residential inspections. These inspections are conducted for

the purpose of reducing risk from wildfires.

Conduct 13 inspections on improved campgrounds. An improved campground has

electric connections, parking pads, picnic tables, and other facilities. These

inspections are conducted for the purpose of reducing risk from wildfires.

Conduct 60 inspections on unimproved campgrounds. An unimproved campground

can be anything from hunting camps to organized camp sites. These inspections

should be limited to trust and restricted title lands. When making them “unimproved”

is the lack of facilities such as restrooms, electric connections, etc.

Conduct 15 initial inspections for timber sales on trust or restricted title lands. These

inspections should be limited to trust and restricted title lands.

Conduct 12 follow-up inspections for timber sales on trust or restricted title lands.

These inspections should be limited to trust and restricted title lands.

Conduct 4 dump site inspections each year. These inspections should be limited to

sites actually on trust and restricted title lands. Dump sites can be legal or illegal.

“Green box” sites are also reported here. Report only inspections conducted for the

purpose of reducing wildfires.

Conduct 9 inspections of spark arrestors each year. These inspections should be

limited to equipment being actually operated on trust and restricted title lands.

Conduct 264 burn permit site inspections. Conduct 1 inspection of formal target

ranges. These inspections should be limited to trust and restricted title lands.

Recruit, train, and/or supervise volunteers.

In addition to the actions described above, extra prevention measures will aid in the reduction

of escaped debris burning, incendiary fires, and fire use. The specific actions in Table 10

summary were selected based on the Wildfire Prevention Strategies Guide (NFES 1572).

D. Community Actions Descriptions

The community action hours have been distributed to like activities in General and Specific

Actions. Therefore, community actions are not included in the RAMS analysis.

Table 11 is omitted.

E. Structural Ignitability Mitigation Options

In the process of assessing community risk, special attention will paid to the factors affecting

structural ignitability according to Firewise. Overall, the level of Firewise compliance throughout the

Colville Reservation is very good. The factors to be assessed are:

Roofing -

Type of materials

Siding-

Type of materials

Landscaping-

Type and location of materials

Roof Hygiene-

Amount of debris

Landscape Hygiene-

Maintenance of yards

Structural Hygiene-

Maintenance of buildings

Flammables-

Location of flammables

Table 12 - Structural Ignitability

Compliance

Rating

Evaluation Factors

High

Moderate

Low

Percentages

Overall Firewise Compliance

Roofing Material

Siding

Landscaping

Roof Hygiene

Landscape Hygiene

Structural Hygiene

Flammables

Note: percentages rounded to the nearest 5 percent.

The majority of the general actions and specific actions will be conducted around the

communities at risk. Because of past prevention efforts, fires that have occurred adjacent to

the communities at risk have not experienced any loss. Through prevention efforts people

understand life in the wildland urban interface.

Due to size and complexity of the Colville Reservation, any structural ignitability assessment

number will be approximate. The definitions for high, moderate, and low are determined by

how much a structure is in compliance with Firewise suggestions. High means that the

structure has a fair amount of Firewise techniques applied to it. Moderate indicates that a

structure has some Firewise techniques applied. Low shows little or no compliance with

Firewise techniques. The percentages vary because of Wildland Urban Interface (WUI)

situations and the number of out-buildings typically in the rural setting.

The following issues should be addressed through the general, specific and community

actions identified in this plan.

A. Develop exhibit themes concerning the increased risk from the choices of

siding, landscaping hygiene, structural hygiene, and the location of

flammables.

B. Discuss Firewise and fire safety and build these topics into talks, power

points, presentations, and other methods of displaying information.

C. Prepare news releases that deliberate the hazards presented by poorly

maintained landscaping and location of stored flammables.

D. Discuss these topics with key contacts throughout the year.

E. Collaborate with other Colville Confederated Tribal Programs regarding

Firewise materials and compliance issues.

F. Prioritized Hazardous Fuels Reduction Areas

The fuels management program at the Mount Tolman Fire Center currently manages fuels

treatments on 1.4 million acres of the Colville Reservation. Our program implements fuels

treatment on both Tribal trust land as well as Fee land located within the bounds of the

Colville Reservation. The following goals are outlined in The Wildland Fire Management

Plan of the Colville Reservation April 2002:

•

Reduce the potential of resource damage from destructive wildland fires.

•

Assist land managers by protecting, maintaining, or enhancing other resources

through treatment of forest fuels.

•

Maintenance of fire dependent ecosystems.

•

Develop, maintain, and/or enhance a program of fuels management and prescribed

fire that will effectively reduce the fire hazard of accumulated fuels, achieve multiple

resource objectives, and provide for a natural role of fire in the ecosystem.

•

Provide opportunities for wildland fire to be used for resource benefits and implement

when conditions permit.

Fuel treatment methods typically used on the Colville Reservation consist of both mechanical

and prescribed fire. Some of the mechanical methods include hand cutting of precommercial sized trees, shrubs and brush. In areas further from the communities, excavators

are used to pull brush and pre-commercial sized trees from the ground. The waste from these

treatments is then piled and burned at a later date when sufficient time has passed to allow

the piles to dry enough to burn cleanly. Excavators are also equipped with a mulching head

and some of the areas are masticated to a height of less than 1 foot from the ground. The

waste from these masticated areas become very compact over time and is left to deteriorate.

Wildland Urban Interface Hazard Reduction Workload

There are currently 16 Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) areas identified on the Colville

Reservation spanning over all three planning districts. These areas were identified by the

density of structures. These communities were then given a 1.5 mile buffer to create areas

around the communities to concentrate fuels treatment priorities.

A variety of hazardous fuel reduction treatments which include thinning, piling, and

prescribed burning have taken place around the communities at risk (identified in the 2001

Federal Register). This is a result of a cooperative effort between prevention and fuels

management.

G. Annual Calendar

An annual calendar is prepared that details fire prevention planning with major actions listed

by month and is subject to change as necessary. Not all prevention actions are included in

this calendar, because some of them will occur throughout the year, and/or are minor in terms

of time commitment. However, many actions are seasonal and can be planned. The annual

calendar can be found in Appendix O and when updated will be replaced within this

document.

H. Supporting Plans

Sign Plan- The Sign Plan for the Colville Reservation describes the sign locations, changing

of the fire danger level signs, and maintenance. A map of the sign locations has been

excluded from the plan because the MTFC personnel and locales are well aware of the

locations of the signs. Refer to Appendix N.

Patrol Plan-The Patrol Plan describes the different patrol zones as well as the definition for

patrolling. It also has a map that contains the different patrol routes that should be taken.

The patrol requires certain items that should always be kept on-hand while on patrol,

including investigation kits, necessary tools, and personal protective equipment (PPE). Refer

to Appendix M.

Communication Plan- This part of the plan is in Appendix L.

Preparedness/Readiness Plan- This plan describes the preparedness level actions and what

time of year those occur. It also describes the seasonal risk analysis. It describes the

Prevention Program’s role in fire prevention and mitigation for different seasons of the year.

It also describes the preparedness level recommendations. The Preparedness/Readiness Plan

can be found in Appendix E.

I. Accountability

The Northwest Region has reduced the number of site visits in the past 3 years. Because of

the reduced amount of travel by the NWRO staff, program reviews are conducted on a

limited basis. In order to meet WFPP revision standards a program review was conducted

via phone interview. This was done February 2015 and the program review is included in

Appendix J.

To date, readiness reviews in the Northwest Region are conducted every other year. A

readiness review was conducted in 2015. In the future, readiness reviews will be conducted

approximately every three years. The reason why the change in the readiness review

schedule is due to limited review personnel and competing priorities. This is a decision made

by the NWRO.

There are a few different ways to document activities and report accomplishments to

maintain accountability. There are accomplishment reports that will be filled out on a

weekly basis, every Friday and an additional one if there are events. This ensures that

accomplishment hours will be completed successfully and documented to ensure accuracy.

Each year by October 31st accomplishment reports will be sent into the NWRO. This will

show accountability for the Prevention Program on a yearly basis.

J. Supporting Appendices

A. Documentation of program support

B. Documentation of tribal support

C. LEO SOP

D. RAMS MDB file on CD and/or printouts including tables

E. Preparedness Plan

F. Burn Permit System

G. INVF Policies and Procedures

H. Community Assistance Information

I. Smokey Bear Guidelines

J. Accomplishment Reporting Forms

K. Inspection Forms

L. Communication Plan

M. Patrol Plan

N. Sign Plan

O. Annual Planning Calendar

P. Recommended Position Description

Q. Electronic Copies of FPP in Word processing format and Portable

Document Format (PDF)

COLVILLE INDIAN RESERVATION

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for

Wildland Fire Investigation

Definitions

INVF – Wildland Fire Investigator

TPO – Tribal Police Officer of the Colville Confederated Tribes

TPRRO – Tribal Parks and Recreation Resource Officer of the Colville Confederated Tribes

BIA-OLES – Bureau of Indian Affairs-Office of Law Enforcement

BIA-CA – Bureau of Indian Affairs-Colville Agency

MTFC – Mount Tolman Fire Center

Law Enforcement – a TPO, TPRRO, BIA-OLES Agent, deputy sheriff, or other qualified law

enforcement agent

Purpose

The intent of this Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is to guide participating INVFs, TPOs,

TPRROs, and BIA-OLES agents in making rational and defensible decisions about jurisdictions,

authorities, responsibilities, case handling, communications, scene processing, questioning of

witnesses, collection and transfer of evidence, disposition/copying of case files, and in sorting out the

appropriate actions to take in various ownership situations for wildland fire investigations on the

Colville Indian Reservation.

Jurisdiction

Guiding Principles – Jurisdiction is established by the ownership where the specific point of origin

(crime) is located or suspected to be located. When ownership is restricted Indian Land or “Trust”,

the Tribes and BIA have jurisdiction to investigate wildfires for origin and cause determination. If a

major crime such as Arson is suspected or identified as the cause of a wildfire, contact Fire

management (MTFC) and request a certified INVF immediately.

Indian Land – includes tribal trust, individual allotments and restricted Indian lands and any other

lands under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. BIA and Tribal INVFs have authority to

investigate wildland fires originating on Indian lands. Other federal, tribal and state fire investigators

qualified under National Wildfire Coordination Group (NWCG) guidelines may also investigate

wildland fires upon request by a competent BIA official.

Non-Indian lands – includes fee lands, non-Indian lands, tribal fee lands, State, County or other

federal lands. INVFs have no independent authority to enter to investigate non-Indian lands without

landowner permission. INVFs will cooperate with a local jurisdictional authority or State investigator

to legitimize the investigation. If the fire originates on non-Indian jurisdiction, but burns across

Indian land; the BIA will request an investigation by the jurisdictional authority. A BIA INVF may

assist with any wildland fire investigation within a non-BIA jurisdictional area if requested to do so

by a competent jurisdictional authority.

All investigations will follow the BIA standards for wildland fire investigations, which includes the

National Wildfire Coordination Group (NWCG) FI-210 Origin and Cause Determination and the

National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) 921 Standard for Fire Investigations.

Case Handling

The Initial Attack Incident Commander (IC) shall perform, or shall direct the performance of, the

preliminary cause and origin determination and determine whether or not a more thorough

investigation is needed based on the amount of damage done by the fire, potential to recover costs,

injuries, fatalities, and suspicious circumstances surrounding the cause and origin or evidence of other

criminal activity at the scene.

When the INVF is requested, the IC will first protect and secure the general origin area, the evidence

collection area and establish a chain of custody at the scene. Then the INVF will begin to process the

scene. Upon the recognition that the incident may involve any major crimes as described in The

General Crimes Act – 18 U.S.C., serious injury or fatality, the BIA-CA will be notified immediately.

Otherwise the INVF will continue to process the scene using the systematic methodology described in

the FI-210 and NFPA 921.

Large scale fire investigations/Arson Task Forces: Notify the BIA-CA and have Team Leader

conduct a short face-to-face briefing to review roles and expectations upon arrival. Also, the BIA-CA

or INVF will notify any other affected local jurisdictions. Such arson teams/task forces at the

Colville Reservation are typically comprised of INVFs, TPOs, TPRROs, BIA-OLES agents, and

other cooperators as available.

To increase efficiency and probability of success, certified INVFs should be teamed with, and should

actively conduct investigations side-by-side with law enforcement (a TPO, TPRRO, BIA-OLES

Agent, deputy sheriff, etc.), forming 2-person or larger teams, during large scale fire investigations

/Arson Task Force assignments.

Roles

Standard Fire Investigation – These are cases where the fire is the only incident to be investigated

and no evidence of other criminal activity is found. This would also include serial wildland arson

incidents.

•

Role of INVF: To take the lead in processing the scene according to the NFPA-921,

interviewing witnesses, collecting and securing evidence and preparing the final report.

•

Role of the TPO, TPRRO, and BIA-OLES Agent: to assist the INVF with scene control,

evidence collection/chain of custody, interviewing of witnesses/persons of interest/suspects

and collaborating with INVF to develop the case.

Fire combined with other criminal activity that requires a BIA-OLES response:

•

Role of the BIA-OLES Agent: to take the lead in managing and processing the overall scene,

conducting the overall investigation, collecting and securing evidence, interviewing and

preparing the final report.

Role of INVF: To assist during the investigation as directed/requested in processing the fire

scene according to the NFPA-921, to assist as needed with fire-related evidence collection

and to provide a written supplemental report to the Officer in Charge of the investigation.

Fire combined with criminal activity that requires a response by the Federal Bureau of Investigation

(FBI):

•

Role of the TPO, TPRRO, or BIA-OLES Agent: To make the decision to involve the FBI, to

secure the scene and direct the activities of any INVF personnel on the scene. The Officer in

Charge remains in charge of the scene and investigation until relieved by the FBI.

Role of INVF: To follow the direction of the TPO, TPRRO, or BIA-OLES Agent in

protecting the scene, to remain available for questioning and witness statements as needed,

and to assist BIA-OLES or FBI Agent with processing the FIRE scene if requested.

Collection and Transfer of Evidence

It is highly preferable for the INVF to have physical evidence at wildland fire scenes collected

directly by law enforcement officials (TPO, TPRRO, or BIA-OLES Agent) to shorten the chain of

custody. However, in many situations law enforcement will be unavailable and the INVF must

collect and later transfer evidence to law enforcement.

On Indian land:

When the cause is criminal, and no injury or fatality occurs or real property is damaged, or when the

cause is non-criminal, then the INVF should mark, identify, photograph, protect, collect, and catalog

all evidence and then transfer it to a TPO or TPRRO for evidence storage. The INVF should retain a

copy of the evidence description form and chain of custody transfer form.

When the cause is criminal, and there is an injury, fatality or real property damage (including timber

loss), the INVF should contact the MTFC and BIA-CA and should mark, identify, photograph,

protect, collect, and catalog all evidence and then transfer it to an evidence storage facility as directed

by BIA-CA. The INVF should retain a copy of the evidence description form and chain of custody

transfer form.

On non-Indian land:

Mark, identify, photograph, protect all evidence and contact the authority having legal jurisdiction

prior to collecting any evidence on these cases. If cleared by the authority having legal jurisdiction,

the INVF will collect and catalog the evidence. This evidence will be transferred to the authority

having legal jurisdiction.

Perception of Threat

If the INVF is not law enforcement qualified, then it is highly preferable for the INVF to work side by

side with law enforcement (a TPO, TPRRO, or BIA-OLES Agent) when meeting with affected

landowners and when interviewing person(s) on-scene.

If the INVF is threatened or intimidated in the course of a legitimate jurisdictional investigation, the

INVF should withdraw and contact a TPO, TPRRO, BIA-OLES Agent or other law enforcement

entity such as the FBI or DEA, for assistance as appropriate.

Questioning of Witnesses, Persons of Interest, and Suspects

If it is deemed safe to do so, on-scene homeowners, renters, landowners, allotees, witnesses,

bystanders, and children may be interviewed by law enforcement officers who are law enforcement

qualified.

Tracking down and locating “persons of interest” or “suspects” for questioning is the role of law

enforcement, but the non-law enforcement qualified INVF may assist as a team member with law

enforcement in these activities and may assist during the interviewing/interrogation of such persons.

If possible, interrogation of suspects should be recorded using a video camera for the protection of the

suspect, as well as questioners.

Disposition of Case Files

Original Files:

In a criminal wildland fire investigation on Indian land, original case files will remain with the lead

fire investigator and the copies are left with the local units.

Copies:

All INVF reports are considered to be law enforcement sensitive documents and shall be exempt from

the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

For criminal and non-criminal investigations, a copy of the original file should be kept by the

reporting INVF. For criminal investigations, Tribal Police or Tribal Parks and Recreation

Enforcement (whichever receives the original file) should send a copy to the other department. All

copies should be clearly marked COPY.

In cases involving negligence, where property damage occurred on trust lands, regardless of the

ownership of the point of origin, a clean copy of the original file will be submitted to the BIA-CA

Superintendent for potential use in pursuit of damage claims.

Communications with Law Enforcement

-Henry Hix, Program Director

P.O. Box 150

Nespelem, WA 99150

Tribal Parks and Recreation

(509) 634-3145 office

-Mike Henry, Police Chief

P.O. Box 150

Nespelem, WA 99155

Colville Tribal Police Department

(509) 634-2472 office

-Bureau of Indian Affairs

Mailing Address:

Bureau of Indian Affairs

MS-4606-MIB

1849 C Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20240

Telephone: (202) 208-5116

Telefax: (202) 208-6334

For Wildland Fire Investigations Contact

-Isaac Cawston, Fire Management Officer

P.O. Box 188

Keller, WA 99140

Mount Tolman Fire Center

(509) 634-3109 office

Training

BIA Fire Management, through the MTFC, will advise MTFC employees, Tribal Emergency

Services, Tribal Parks and Recreation, and Tribal Police of training opportunities in wildland fire

investigation.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Appropriate PPE will be worn by red-carded individuals on any uncontrolled wildfire under the IC.

Persons without a red-card will not be allowed to work in “hot” areas.

MTFC warehouse will issue wildland fire shirts, pants, hardhats, gloves, safety glasses/goggles, and a

fire shelter to all personnel and cooperators involved in wildfire investigations. Unless the fire has

been designated “controlled,” persons without red-cards must receive fire shelter deployment

instruction from a qualified instructor before entering burned areas or any areas potentially threatened

by wildland fire.

______________________________________

Isaac Cawston, Fire Management Officer

The Preparedness Plan is tierd to the 2013 Wildland Fire Annual Operating Plan for the

Colville Agency, WA. This is the most current Operating Plan for the Colville Tribe, and

there is a 2015 version which is waiting for signatures and is not in place yet.

1. The Preparedness Plan

PREPAREDNESS LEVEL 1:

Normal Operating Procedure

Office Hours - 0730 to 1600 Monday through Friday.

Normal staffing, Initial Attack response is provided by Fire Management and

Prescribed Fire Personnel.

Normal period of operation - October 1 through May 31 of each year.

PREPAREDNESS LEVEL 2:

Fire Season Operations

Office Hours - 0730 to 1800 7 days per week.

Additional seasonal staffing provided to man engines, lookouts and heavy

equipment as specified in the FMPA.

Normal period of operation - June 1 through September 30 of each year.

PREPAREDNESS LEVEL 3:

Extended Operations

Office Hours - 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

All full time and seasonal staff will work 6 day, 12 hour per day schedule,

forestry and other department staff will be brought on to assist in maintaining

required staffing levels.

This level is only implemented during incidents or periods of extreme fire

danger or abnormal occurrence such as arson or red flag warnings for

lightning.

PREPAREDNESS LEVEL 4:

Reservation Closure

Implement Reservation Closure Plan

Closure of the Colville Indian Reservation is a rare occurrence. A Closure Plan will only

be implemented as a part of a general area shutdown, in cooperation with adjoining

agencies or as a result of a combination of occurrences such as extended periods of

drought and abnormal man caused fire or extended periods of drought and visibility less

than three miles at our lookouts.

Action

number

fire incident level

action

Fire Management, Natural

Resources Department and

Tribal Enforcement

personnel will implement

closure, post signs and

perform daily patrols.

Fire Management Office

will be operated 24 hours

per day and night patrols

will be utilized to insure

compliance with closure.

Place contractor equipment

and personnel on stand-by at

designated locations, with

necessary overhead

available to provide a fast

efficient initial attack force.

These forces will be

stationed at designated

locations within the

reservation.

Action 3 can only be implemented after notifying the BIA Portland Area Office of current

conditions. It may be necessary to request severity funding to justify the expenditure of

funds.

Fire Prevention/Mitigation

Fire prevention programs, which effectively reduce human-caused ignitions, target

“average” weather conditions, historical fire occurrence, normal fire behavior, and

historical human activity. Prior to periods of “above average” fire conditions, human

activities, or fire severity, local/regional preparedness planning must appropriately “step

up” prevention program activities to deal with the increased risk and threat of humancaused ignitions and mitigation that reduce losses when fires are not preventable.

When Seasonal Risk Analysis indicates an increased potential for fire behavior and/or

human-caused ignitions, the predicted situation and current prevention and mitigation

must be reviewed to determine and obtain the additional resources required to meet the

expected situation.

An inclusive fire severity request includes a “proactive” human prevention and mitigation

component developed through interagency preparedness planning, which identifies and

activates needed resources to reduce the number of wildland fire ignitions, reduce the

threat to communities and decrease exposure to firefighters, as risk of severe wildland

fires increase.

Prevention, mitigation, and outreach resources should be addressed by the following:

•

Conducting local/regional interagency needs assessment to determine the

appropriate prevention, mitigation, and other outreach resources, and then

obtaining these resources through details, and severity requests.

Mobilizing a “fire prevention/education team” to plan and implement immediate

prevention, mitigation and outreach strategies during periods of abnormal

wildland fire risk or activity.

The Fire Prevention Strategy for the Colville Reservation is to reduce the number of personcaused fires and to reduce the damage caused by all fires.

The Wildfire Prevention Analysis and Plan identifies the Risks, Hazards and Values on the

Colville Reservation.

The Plan also identifies priority areas, specific action and

responsibilities consistent with the Colville Reservation Integrated Resources Management

Planning Goals.

Wildfire prevention activities generally fall within one of the four broad categories.

1. Education

Education is aimed at changing people’s behavior by awareness and knowledge. This

can be done through printed materials, mass media, one-on-one contacts or group

presentations. Information can also be delivered through signs, displays, fairs,

parades, etc.

2. Engineering

Engineering is an activity designed to shield an ignition source or remove the fuel that

could ignite from a spark or firebrand. Fuel management and hazard reduction

addressed in another section of this plan will also assist in attaining the objective of

reduction of resource loss.

3. Enforcement

Enforcement is used to gain compliance with fire regulations and ordinances.

4. Administration

Administration includes those activities such as planning, budgeting, training, etc.

Specific Items that Warrant Special Mention

Fire (Burning) Permit System

The burning permit system is outlined in the Prevention Specific Manning and Action Guide

Shown in Table VII – 1. Burning permits are required from March 1 through November 30.

Public Information and Education

As mentioned above Public Information and Education is accomplished using a variety of

methods. This is the area of emphasis that can establish and maintain support for the Fire

Management Program as a whole. By keeping the public informed of what and why you are

doing something gains support for the entire program. Don’t forget to say THANK YOU at

the end of the season for the help provided in reducing the number of fires. For detailed

tasks and assigned responsibility for accomplishment see “Wildfire Prevention Analysis &

Plan.”

Closures/Restrictions

The Colville Reservation and woods closure restrictions will be incompliance with the

Industrial Fire Precaution levels compiled from fire weather data gathered by the State of

Washington, Department of Natural Resources Fire Weather Office.

The Mount Tolman Fire Center will coordinate closure or control logging operations or other

activities pertaining to weather zones within the Reservation boundaries. This coordination

will be direct agency-district headquarters to assure maximum coordination of the effort.

At such time the fire precaution levels are activated, the requirements affect ALL

Reservation programs. The fire dispatch will keep all personnel informed of the current

precaution level in effect by two-way radio, signs, public information releases, and direct

communications with program managers.

During periods of extreme fire danger, the public will be made aware of the situation through

news release, by posting and distributing fire danger notices and some access road closures

into high-hazard areas. At these times all unnecessary wood’s activity should be curtailed.

Closures/Restrictions are never desired, however, there are times when the fire danger

warrants restricting the general public and members of the Colville Confederated Tribes.

For description of the Fire Precaution Levels see the Colville Reservation Forest and Range

Fire Operations Plan 2000 (BIA 2000), and “Chapter VI – Mobilization Strategy” within this

document.

Trespass/Arson Investigation

Current fire investigation is done by fire management personnel or qualified enforcement

officers employed by the Tribe. This investigation determines cause.

Enforcement

The Colville Tribal Police Department enforces laws and regulations on the Colville Tribal

Reservation.

Hazard Abatement

Hazard abatement relating to fuels management is a fire management task and is identified

with responsibility assigned in the “Wildfire Prevention Analysis & Plan”. The task is

accomplished through cooperation with Timber, Range, Wildlife, Lands and other resource

managers in accordance with the Plan for Integrated Resources Management Plan standards

and guidelines. Also see Chapter IX “Fuel Management/Hazard Reduction Strategy” of this

document for further discussion on this topic.

Timber sales can be planned in areas of high fuel hazard accomplishing the target for lumber

and revenue while reducing the fuels. Range and Wildlife projects can be planned for those

areas that have a high fire occurrence, reducing the fire hazard and improving the range

conditions and wildlife habitat. Fuels in and around developed areas can be treated to reduce

the risk to both the developments and also the surrounding lands.

Firework Policy

The fireworks policy on the Colville Reservation is as follows:

•

Fireworks can only be sold two weeks prior to the 4th of July

Fireworks can only be set off in designated areas on the day of the July 4th.

Fireworks may be set off during Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Public Information and Education

Information

It is beneficial to the fire management program to keep the public well informed on the

current events. Prior to fire season provide information regarding fire prevention, burning

permits, potential fire danger, training, cooperator involvement, etc. During the fire season it

may be necessary to inform the local residents of the current fire danger, current fire activity,

any fire restrictions, road/trail closures, etc.

Prior to prescribed fire activity it is helpful to conduct public meetings to let the local

residents know what is planned and why. On the day of ignition anyone within the

immediate area should be contacted to make sure they are aware of the burn and that you are

concerned for their safety.

At the end of each fire season a “Thank You” message to the public should be prepared for

their assistance. Include the statistics on what did occur for that fire season including: how

many fires on the Colville Reservation, number of firefighters brought in, number of

firefighters sent off Reservation to help others, amount of acres prescribed burned and for

what reasons.

Education

It is necessary to include an education effort as a part of the fire prevention program.

Education may also be necessary if there is a planned fire prevention of fuel project that may

have outspoken critics.

An integral part of public education is the dispersion of current fire danger information

through signs illustrating current fire danger, press releases, and other public announcements.

It is important that the residents are made aware of current fire danger levels, and if sighs are

utilized they should be updated on a regular basis. Signing during prescribed fires can be

both a useful safety tool as well as an aid in educating the public on fire. Raising the public

awareness on both the subjects of fire management and fire suppression may provide benefits

in reducing arson caused fires and increased public cooperation with fire related law

enforcement.

Public Safety Measures

Public safety concerns will be specifically addressed in each Wildland Fire Situation

Analysis (WFSA) and each prescribed fire plan. The following public safety measures will

be taken:

•

Public safety messages should be developed as required and incorporated into the

process of fire information dissemination.

Trail and unimproved roads in the vicinity of wildfires and prescribed fires will be

closed if potentially hazardous conditions are present.

Traffic control measures, including smoke warning signs, flashing signal lights,

traffic cones, and either fire or law enforcement personnel should be situated on

roads where smoke intrusion incidents are anticipated to occur.

Patrols will be assigned to keep spectators at a safe distance from prescribed fires.

Fire Critique

A fire critique should be accomplished and documented after each major wildland fire and

after a multiple wildland fire event. The critique should identify what went right and what

didn’t. The critique should not fix blame but identify areas that can be improved upon

through training, change in procedure, improved communication, etc. Special recognition

should be given to those that put forward extra effort to accomplish their duties. Also any

cooperators should be recognized. Any changes in procedure should be made immediately

and broadcast to all those that may be involved. Training deficiency should be corrected as

soon as required training is available.

Annual Summary Report

The FMO will be responsible for completing an annual Wildland Fire Summary Report. The

report will contain the number of fires by type, acres burned by fuel type, cost summary,

personnel utilized, hours of aircraft use, and fire effects.

Fire causes should be reviewed annually and appropriate revisions made to the Fire

Prevention Plan directing action toward reducing the top three causes of unwanted wildfire.

Annual Fire Management Plan Review

The Fire Management Plan (WFMP) will be reviewed annually by the FMO and the AFMO.

Necessary updates or changes will be accomplished prior to the next fire season. Any

additions, deletions, or changes will be reviewed by the Natural Resources Director to

determine if such alterations warrant revalidation of the plan by the Superintendent and the

Regional FMO.

The Colville Confederated Tribes (CCT) has a burn permit system and the general population

on the Colville Reservation is well informed of this. Mount Tolman Fire Center (MTFC)

makes it known, by placing signage on the main entrance highways into the Colville

Reservation. During open burning period from December 1st through March 1st there is no

need to obtain a burn permit for burning. From March 1st- November 30th everyone must

have a burn permit on-hand in order to burn. There are four types of burning that MTFC

allows: Burn Barrel, Recreational, Debris Pile, and Traditional.

Burn Barrel requirements:

-Clear the ground 4 feet around the barrel.

-Cover the top of the barrel with wire screen ¼ inch mesh- 14 gauge or heavier.

Allow at least 4 inches of overlap beyond the barrel edge.

-You attend the fire until it is dead out.

-You have a bucket full of water or charged garden hose available at the site.

Recreational and Traditional requirements (campfires, meat drying, sweat lodge, traditional

cooking):

-The fire is less than 6 feet in diameter.

-You have a shovel, axe, and bucket full of water or a charged garden hose at the burn

site.

-You are the landowner or have landowner permission prior to burning.

-You attend the fire until it is dead out.

-You clear a sufficient are of flammable materials. A minimum of 4 feet is advised

unless the fire danger is considered high, than 4 feet is required.

-During period of Very High or Extreme fire danger, burning may be restricted upon

approval of the CCT Business Council.

-The fire is not within 50 feet of any structure.

Debris Pile requirements (yard waste, hand piles of slash, scrap lumber, etc.):

-The fire is less than 12 feet in diameter.

-You have a shovel, axe, and a bucket full of water or charged hose at the burn site.

-You are the landowner or have landowner permission prior to burning.

-You attend the fire until it is dead out.

-You clear a sufficient area of flammable materials. A minimum of 4 feet is required.

-During periods of High, Very High, and Extreme fire danger, this type of burning

will be restricted.

-The fire is not within 50 feet of any structure.

There is no burn permit required for campfires at designated camp grounds that are

maintained by CCT Parks and Recreation Department. Parks and Recreation Department

will have established fire pits in place.

The following requirements apply to all types of burning on the CCT Reservation.

MTFC does not allow burning of rubber products, plastics, asphalt, garbage, dead animals,

petroleum products, paints, or any similar materials that emit dense smoke or create offensive

odors when burned.

Check the weather forecast prior to burning.

Do not burn when the wind is above 5 miles per hour or predicted to be above 5 miles per

hour.

Cancellation or restriction of all types of permits issued by MTFC will be considered as

the fire danger level rises and changes.

Debris Pile fires will be restricted after May 1st every year and reinstated in the fall once the

fire danger level returns to a Low. Each person must call in to MTFC to reinstate this type of

burn permit.

When the Fire Danger level shows:

Low- MTFC allows these types of permits;

-Debris Pile permits (restricted after May1st regardless of what fire danger level is)

-Recreational campfires

-Traditional fires

-Burn Barrels

-Random campfires

Moderate- MTFC allows these types of burn permits:

-Recreational campfires

-Burn Barrels

-Traditional Fires

High- MTFC allows these types of burn permits:

-Traditional

-Campfires at designated pits only

Very High or Extreme- MTFC does not allow any type of burning during these fire danger

levels.

How to obtain a burn permit on the Colville Reservation.

There is no cost to obtain a burn permit because MTFC does not charge a fee. The permittee

does not need to be CCT member, but lives within the jurisdictional boundaries of the

Colville Reservation.

The most common way that people ask for a burn permit, is by phone. The permittee calls,

and MTFC gets some basic information from them including: name, phone number, mailing

address, physical address (where the burning will take place), the type of burn permit that is

needed, which district the permittee lives in, and how the permittee wants to receive the burn

permit (email, fax, in person, or by mail, and hand delivery if possible). When requested by

phone, the permittee must sign the burn permit when he/she gets it in hand. All burn permits

must be signed when the permittee receives it. There is no burning allowed until the

permittee has the burn permit on-hand. A copy of the burn permit regulations are attached

with every burn permit.

Pictured below is a view of the screen available to the Prevention staff

when preparing an individual’s burn permit.

The permittee ID is automatic inserted and the rest is filled in with the permittees

information.

The drop down arrow under TYPE will fill in what type of burn permit that is being

requested. The drop down arrow under COUNTY will tell which county the burn

permit is being issued to. Multiple types of burn permits can be issued to the same

person at the same time. The types of burn permits issued under this system are: Camp

fire, Debris pile, Burn Barrel, Recreational, and Traditional. There is a field burning

permit system in place however, it is not under the Fire Management program.

The following CCT Tribal Codes apply to everyone that burns regardless if the person

has a burn permit or not. It is up to CCT Police Department and CCT Parks and

Recreation Department to enforce the burn permit regulations. The Prevention staff at

MTFC does not have the authority to enforce these regulations. If there is a violation of

the burn permit regulations, the CCT Police Department or CCT Parks and Recreation

is notified.

FIRE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT

CHAPTER 4-19 FIRE MANAGEMENT

LIQUIDATED DAMAGE SCHEDULE

Suppression costs can and will be added to all amounts on this schedule, If any cost is

associated with the violation(s) in question.

BURNING PERMITS

4-19-30 Burning Permits

(a) Fire without a permit:

First

offense..........................................................................................................................

...$100

Second

offense..........................................................................................................................

.300

Third

offense..........................................................................................................................

..$500

Fourth

offense.......................................................................................................................$

1,000

(b) Burning outside fire permit or burn plan

requirements........................................................500

(1) Unattended

fire...................................................................................................................$250

(2) Burning during a restricted

period......................................................................................$500

FIRE DANGER/HAZARDS

4-19-31 Closed to Entry—Designation

area.......................................................................................................$100

4-19-32 Suspension of Burning Permits/Privilege

(a) Burning during a restricted

period.......................................................................................$500

(b) Burning with suspended

privileges...................................................................................$1,000

4-19-33 Closure of Forest Operations or Forestlands

(a) Operation of logging equipment during a closed

period...................................................$1,000

(b) Entry into a closed

area........................................................................................................$100

4-19-34 Spark-Emitting Equipment or Device

Operating spark emitting equipment without a spark arrest

device........................................$1,000

4-19-35 Work Stoppage Notice—Penalty for Violations

(a) Operation in violation of a work stoppage

notice..............................................................$1,000

4-19-36 Deposit of Fire or Live Coals

Deposit of fire or live

coals........................................................................................................$500

4-19-37 Report of Fire

(b) Permitting spread of

fire.......................................................................................................$500

fire............................................................................................................$500

4-19-38 Lighted Material—Vehicles, Public Transportation or Equipment in Operation

(a) Permitting spread of

fire........................................................................................................$500

(b) Firing timber, grasslands or other department protected

land............................................$1,000

4-19-39 Escaped Slash, Grass and Debris Burns—Obligations

(a) Permitting spread of

fire........................................................................................................$500

(b) Firing timber, grasslands or other department protected

land............................................$1,000

requirements.........................................................$500

4-19-40 Negligent Starting of Fires—Allowance of Extreme Fire Hazards or Debris—Liability—

Recovery of

Reasonable Expenses—Lien

Allowing fire to spread onto department protected

land(s).......................................................................$1,000

EXTREME FIRE HAZARDS; PROHIBITED ACTS

4-19-62 Failure to Extinguish Campfire

(a) Failure to extinguish

campfire...............................................................................................$250

(b) Burning outside fire permit or burn plan

requirements.........................................................$500

4-19-63 Willful Setting of Fire

Willful or careless setting of

fires...............................................................................................$500

4-19-64 Removal of Notices

Removal of

notices......................................................................................................................$2

4-19-65 Negligent Fire—Spread

(a) Allowing fire to spread onto department protected land(s)

................................................$1,000

(b) Burning outside fire permit or burn plan

requirements..........................................................$500

fire.........................................................................................................$500

(Adopted 4/15/04, Resolution 2004-261)

Colville Confederated Tribes

Wildfire Investigation Policy

Background:

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) – Branch of Wildland Fire Management has long had a

policy to appropriately investigate all wildland fires occurring on lands held in trust, to

determine the specific cause and origin. This policy is necessary since it is the duty of the

BIA to protect lands ands and the natural resources they support from destruction from a

wildfire. The location of the origin is important in determining who is responsible for

suppression and possible damages. The determination of cause may lead to criminal charges

or civil or administrative actions. Since the Colville Confederated Tribes (CCT) has

compacted fire preparedness, including prevention, it has the responsibility for the initial

determination of cause and origin. Therefore, the CCT adopts this policy through inclusion

in the 2014 Wildfire Prevention Plan. To fulfill this policy, at least one person at the CCT

will need to possess or have the ability to gain the Fire Job Qualification of Wildland Fire

Investigator (INVF).

Policy Statements:

1. All wildfires occurring on trust and restricted title lands where at least one of

the following has occurred must be investigated by a certified INVF. It is the

responsibility of the Initial Attack IC to recognize that one of these has

occurred; or, if not, to make the cause and origin determination. The criteria

for making this request are any of the following:

•

Economic loss has occurred to property, forest, or agricultural

resources.

Juvenile fire setting is suspected.

A history of serial arson is present or is suspected.

Other criminal activity is involved.

Personal injury has been sustained (including fatalities).

2. All investigations will follow the policies established in 90 IAM 1.4C (10).

Additional guidance includes the NWCG Handbook 1 (PMS 412-1), NWCG

FI -210 and the NFPA 921.

3. All reports will be made utilizing the most current official field forms of the

BIA for wildfire investigations. (Current copies are on the Appendix Disk to

the 2016 CCT WFPP.) The minimum standard for a report consist of the Field

Data Sheets, Photos and Log, General Origin Area Sketch Map, the

Confidentiality cover and a Statement of Cause and Origin Determination.

The standard for any of the circumstances identified in policy statement # 1, is

for a full written report as identified in the Wildfire Investigation Handbook

[90 IAM 1.4C (10)].

4. The CCT Wildfire Prevention Program investigates wildfires for cause and

origin, not people. If a responsible party is identified in the process, the

wildfire investigators will work closely with law enforcement to support their

investigation. Wildfire Investigators in the CCT will work closely with tribal

police on all wildland fire cause determinations where arson is suspected.

5. Cause data for wildfires will be updated in the Wildland Fire Management

Information System (WFMI) based on results of investigations conducted by

the INVF.

6. Whenever negligent or criminal behavior results in a wildfire on trust or

restricted title lands, and a responsible party is identified; the CCT will pursue

a) trespass damage claims, (provided qualifying damages occurred); b)

suppression costs recovery; and/or c) criminal charges. This may require

coordination and cooperation with the Northwest Regional Office (NWRO).

Procedures:

Initial attack firefighters throughout the CCT need training in basic fire cause determination.

The FI-110 “Wildland Fire Observations & Origin Scene Protection for First Responders”

provides the training needed to recognize and protect the origin during initial attack. It should

be provided on a regular basis to Tribal fire personnel and fire departments throughout the

CCT.

The initial attack incident commander (local cooperator or Agency Staff) determines the

level of investigation needed and should notify the designated contact (Prevention

Technician) of the need for a qualified investigator. If an investigator is not available, the

incident commander should be notified immediately and appropriate measures should be

taken to preserve the scene and protect evidence until one can be dispatched.

The priorities for wildfire investigations are based on the potential consequences and future

need for documentation. Using these criteria, the order of priority for wildfire investigations

are: fatality wildfires; serious injury wildfires; significant loss wildfires (occupied structures,

natural resources, businesses and livestock); wildfires suspected of being part of a repeated or

serial arson case; minor injury wildfires and all others.

Photographs should be taken at the scene to document the investigation, evidence and

circumstances. The investigator must make every effort to photograph the scene and

evidence as fairly and accurately as possible. All photography will adhere to the policies

established in the 90 IAM 1.4C (10) - Chapter 5.

The fire origin area will be searched in segments (grids) as illustrated in Chapter 3 of the

NWCG Handbook 1, “Wildfire Cause Determination Handbook”. The investigator will also

be responsible for providing the voluntary statement form, consent form for fire scene

examination when appropriate.

When the investigator encounters evidence of criminal activity, the appropriate law

enforcement office will be notified. Ideally, the fire investigator and law enforcement officer

will work together in preparing a case for civil or criminal action. Witnesses on scene may be

interviewed by the INVF or Law Enforcement. Interviewing of witnesses that are not on

scene or questioning of persons of interest will be the responsibility of Law Enforcement.

The BIA has enrolled all of “Indian Country” in the anonymous tipping program WeTIP.

Through this service, a toll free number is provided that is staffed 24 hours a day and seven

days per week. Operators are trained to take tips from the public and to relay that information

to pre-identified contacts across the country. The programmatic contact for CCT is the

NWRO Prevention Specialist. Tips will be forwarded to the Special Agent at the National

Interagency Fire Center for distribution to the appropriate Law Enforcement Agency.

Reluctant witnesses should be encouraged to call WeTIP and provide information

anonymously. The Toll-Free number for WeTIP is 1-800-47-ARSON (or 1-800-472-7766).

WeTIP posters are available from the NWRO Prevention Specialist.

Additional information regarding wildland fire trespass, and the federal laws and regulations

pertaining to such can be found in the BIA – Indian Forest Management Trespass Handbook

(53 IAM 7-H) and in the attached digest of citations concerning fire.

Additional training in arson, technical report writing and juvenile fire setting are also needed

for fire investigators.

Access to, and use of, an investigation “kit” is imperative for the fire investigator. Supplies

for evidence collection, securing and processing the crime scene need to be included in the

kit. The fire investigator is responsible for maintaining this kit; it should be fully stocked at

time of dispatch. An itemized list of materials for the kit is included in this appendix. The

minimum requirements for the investigation report and blank copies of the standard forms

are also included in the appendix.

This Fire Investigation Policy is hereby adopted for the CCT with the approval of the 2016

CCT Wildfire Prevention Plan Revision.

4-19-10 Fire Protection Powers and Duties of Department; Enforcement

At Fire Management's discretion, appointment of trained personnel possessing necessary

qualifications to carry out duties and supporting functions of the Department may include

hiring, appointing fire investigators, wardens, and other commissioned law enforcement to

represent Fire Management in fire investigations and court proceedings.

(a) Fire Management shall have direct charge and supervision of all matters pertaining to

wildland fire suppression within the boundaries of the Colville Indian Reservation.

(b) Fire Management shall:

(1) Enforce this Chapter;

(2) Be empowered to take charge of and direct the work in suppressing forest fires;

(3) Investigate the origin and cause of all forest fires to determine whether a criminal

act or a negligent act by person, firm, or corporation caused the start of, or the spread

of, or the existence of a fire.

(4) Furnish notice or information to the public calling attention to forest fire dangers

and penalties for violation of this Chapter.

2 (5) Adopt rules for the prevention, control, and suppression of forest fires considered necessary

including, but not limited to:

(A) fire equipment and materials;

(B) use of personnel; and

for reducing these conditions where justified by local factors such as location

and weather.

4-19-11 Conducting Investigations

(a) Fire Management shall work cooperatively in conducting investigations, to the extent

possible, with utilities, property owners, and other interested parties to identify and preserve

evidence. Fire Management is authorized, without court order, to take possession or control

of relevant evidence found in plain view and belonging to any person, firm, or corporation.

Fire Management shall notify, to the extent possible, the person, firm, or corporation of its

intent to take possession or control of the evidence.

(b) Before Fire Management takes possession or control of evidence, the person, firm, or

corporation shall be afforded reasonable opportunity to view the evidence and shall be

afforded reasonable opportunity to examine, document, and photograph it. If the person,

firm, or corporation objects in writing to Fire Management's taking possession or control of

such evidence, Fire Management must either:

(1) Return the evidence within seven days after the day on which Fire Management is

provided with the written objections; or

(2) Obtain a court order authorizing the continued possession or control thereof.

(1) Fire Management may not take possession or control of evidence over the

objection of the owner of such evidence if:

(A) The evidence is used by the owner in conducting a business or in

providing an electric utility service; and

(B) Fire Management's taking possession or control of the evidence would

substantially and materially interfere with the operation of the business or

provision of electric utility service.

(2) Fire Management may not take possession or control of evidence over the

objection of an electric utility when the evidence is not owned by the utility but has

caused damage to property owned by the utility. However, this subsection does not

apply if Fire Management has notified the utility of its intent to take possession or

control of the evidence and provided the utility with reasonable time to examine,

document, and photograph the evidence.

(d) Only personnel qualified to work on electrical equipment may take possession or control

of evidence owned or controlled by an electric utility.

(e) Fire Management may remove at will or suspend the authority of any investigator,

warden or other authorized law enforcement official to represent Fire Management in fire

investigations who is incompetent or unwilling to properly discharge the duties of such

office.

4-19-12 Wardens—Appointment—Duties

Fire Management may appoint any of its employees as wardens, at such times and in such

localities it considers the public welfare demands, within any area of the reservation

where there are forest lands requiring protection.

3 (a) Wardens shall:

(1) Provide forest fire prevention and protection information to the public;

(2) Investigate discovered or reported fires on forest lands and take appropriate

action;

(3) Patrol assigned areas, visit camp grounds of frequent use and warn campers,

visitors and other users of fire hazards;

(4) Inspect all vehicles, locomotives and all steam internal combustion, devices and

other spark-emitting equipment including chainsaws for spark arresters and adequate

devices which prevent the escape of sparks or fire;

(5) Inspect forest land operations and activities for required fire prevention and

suppression equipment or devices and ensure that protection of forests are enforced.

In addition, wardens who hold federal, state, or tribal law enforcement commissions

verified and approved by the Colville Tribal Police Department shall have the

authority to:

(A) Investigate, arrest, and initiate prosecution of all Tribal Law and Order

Code violators; and

(B) Investigate all forest land fires as assigned by Fire Management, complete

investigation reports, and appear in court as needed on said investigations and

prosecutions.

(b) Wardens shall submit reports which summarize activities for that period, how assigned

areas are visited, expenses incurred, and other information which may be required by Fire

Management, in a format and at a time specified.

incompetent or unwilling to properly discharge the duties of the office.

(d) Fire Management shall determine the placement and assignment of the wardens and at the

request of the individual districts, may assign additional wardens during times of special

need, or high fire danger.

(e) The authority of the wardens regarding the prevention, suppression, and control of forest

fires, summoning, impressing, employing help, or making arrests for violations of this

Chapter may extend to any part of the reservation.

4-19-13 Wardens—Ex officio Appointments—Compensation

(a) Colville Tribal Police Department commissioned officers, whether a Colville tribal police

officer, a natural resources enforcement officer, a ranger, a cross-commissioned state or

county officer, or other commissioned officer while in their respective jurisdictions may be

deemed ex officio wardens during any emergency regarding the suppression and

extinguishing of any forest land fire.

(b) Employees of the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs, when recommended by the

forest manager and at the discretion of Fire Management, may be commissioned as wardens

and vested with the powers specified in this Chapter.

and will not receive additional compensation for services, except when employed in

cooperation with the Colville Tribes under the provisions of this Chapter. Warden's engaged

in the prevention, suppression and

4 extinguishing of the spread of fire or for the investigation of wildfire may receive additional

compensation at a rate to be fixed by Fire Management. Other jurisdictions supplying ex officio

wardens may also be compensated for additional costs for supplying officers and equipment.

(d) Fire Management may revoke the authority granted to any ex officio warden under this

Chapter who is incompetent or unwilling to properly discharge the duties of the office.

4-19-14 Service of Notices

Any notice required by law to be served by Fire Management, a warden, an ex officio

warden, or a ranger shall be sufficient if a written or printed copy thereof is delivered,

mailed, telegraphed, or electronically transmitted by Fire Management, warden, ex officio

warden, or ranger to the person to receive the notice, or to his or her responsible agent. If the

name or address of the person or agent is unknown and cannot be obtained by reasonable

diligence, the notice may be served by posting the copy in a conspicuous place upon the

premises affected by the notice.

4-19-15 Arrests Without Warrants

Fire Management employees appointed or commissioned as wardens, and all law

enforcement officers may arrest persons violating this Chapter without a warrant pursuant to

CTC § § 2-1-32 and 2-1-33.

4-19-16 Violations—Penalty

Any person who willfully violates any of the orders or rules adopted under this Chapter

for the protection of forests from fires is guilty of Reckless Burning, Chapter 3-1-201 and subject to

the penalties for committing this crime pursuant to Colville Tribal Law and Order Criminal Code.

Digest of legal citations for illegal burning, trespass and penalties

CFRs

25 CFR Ch. 1 Part 11 § 11.315 (Sentencing)

25 CFR Ch. 1 Part 11 § 11.409 (Reckless Burning)

25 CFR Ch. 1 Part 11 § 11.410 (Criminal Mischief)

25 CFR Ch. 1 Part 11 § 11.450 (Max Penalties)

25 CFR Ch. 1 Part 11 §162.101, 102, 103, 106, 108, 239, 255 & 256 (Ag Trespass)

25 CFR Ch 1 Part 11 § 163.1, 163.29 (Forest Trespass)

25 CFR Ch 1 Part 11 § 166. 801 (Agricultural Trespass)

Source: http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov

Federal Law

18 USC 1856 (Fires left unattended and Unextinguished)

18 U.S.C. Part 1 Chapter 53 § 1153 ( Major Crimes Act)

18 U.S.C. Part 1 Chapter 5 § 81 (Arson within special jurisdictions)

18 U.S.C. Part 1 Chapter 40 § 842(explosive materials)

18 U.S.C. Part 1 Chapter 40 § 844 (Penalties related to explosive materials)

18 U.S.C. Part 1 Chapter 91 § 1855 (Timber Set Afire)

18 U.SC. Part 1 Chapter 91 §1856 (Fires left unattended and Unextinguished)

Source: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/uscode/

e-CFR Data is current as of February 23, 2009

Title 25: Indians

PART 11—COURTS OF INDIAN OFFENSES AND LAW AND ORDER CODE

Subpart D—Criminal Offenses

§ 11.409 Reckless burning or exploding.

A person commits a misdemeanor if he or she purposely starts a fire or causes an explosion, whether on his or

her property or another's, and thereby recklessly:

(a) Places another person in danger of death or bodily injury; or

(b) Places a building or occupied structure of another in danger of damage or destruction.

e-CFR Data is current as of February 23, 2009

Title 25: Indians

PART 11—COURTS OF INDIAN OFFENSES AND LAW AND ORDER CODE

Subpart D—Criminal Offenses

§ 11.410 Criminal mischief.

(a) A person is guilty of criminal mischief if he or she:

(1) Damages tangible property of another purposely, recklessly, or by negligence in the employment of fire,

explosives, or other dangerous means; or

(2) Purposely or recklessly tampers with tangible property of another so as to endanger person or property; or

(3) Purposely or recklessly causes another to suffer pecuniary loss by deception or threat.

(b) Criminal mischief is a misdemeanor if the actor purposely causes pecuniary loss in excess of $100, or a petty

misdemeanor if he or she purposely or recklessly causes pecuniary loss in excess of $25. Otherwise, criminal

mischief is a violation.

e-CFR Data is current as of February 23, 2009

Title 25: Indians

PART 11—COURTS OF INDIAN OFFENSES AND LAW AND ORDER CODE

Subpart C—Criminal Procedure

§ 11.315 Sentencing.

(a) Any person who has been convicted in a Court of Indian Offenses of a criminal offense under the regulations

of this part may be sentenced to one or a combination of the following penalties:

(1) Imprisonment for a period up to the maximum permitted by the section defining the offense, but in no case for

longer than one year; and

(2) A fine in an amount up to the maximum permitted by the section defining the offense, but in no case greater

than $5,000.

(b) In addition to or in lieu of the penalties provided in paragraph (a) of this section, the court may require a

convicted offender who has inflicted injury upon the person or property of another to make restitution or

compensate the injured person by means of the surrender of property, payment of money damages, or the

performance of any other act for the benefit of the injured party.

any applicable section, the court shall allow him or her a reasonable period of time to pay the entire sum or allow

him or her to make reasonable installment payments to the clerk of the court at specified intervals until the entire

sum is paid. If the offender defaults on such payments the court may find him or her in contempt of court and

imprison him or her accordingly.

[58 FR 54411, Oct. 21, 1993, as amended at 73 FR 39861, July 11, 2008]

e-CFR Data is current as of February 23, 2009

Title 25: Indians

PART 11—COURTS OF INDIAN OFFENSES AND LAW AND ORDER CODE

Subpart D—Criminal Offenses

§ 11.450 Maximum fines and sentences of imprisonment.

A person convicted of an offense under the regulations in this part may be sentenced as follows:

Type of offense

Maximum allowable sentence

(a) Misdemeanor

Up to 1 year in prison, or a fine of up to $5,000, or both.

(b) Petty misdemeanor

Up to 6 months in prison, or a fine of up to $2,500, or both.

Up to 3 months in prison, or a fine of up to $1,000, or both.

[73 FR 39861, July 11, 2008]

Community Assistance Program

The Community Assistance Program (CA) is intended to provide

incentives, technical assistance, and education programs to

communities and tribes to encourage the reduction of hazardous fuels

around homeowner properties.

This program was implemented before the Healthy Forest Restoration

Act (HFRA) identified and defined Community Wildfire Protection Plans

(CWPP/E) as the guiding document for Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)

Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) and Community Assistance activities.

The national emphasis for the Community Assistance program is to

develop a collaborative, community-based approach to reduce risks to

homes and property by increasing the level of community awareness,

identifying values and risks, developing partnerships among local

governments, and communities and building collaborative mitigation

strategies.

All Community Assistance projects are required to identify the partner(s)

to the project(s) to be eligible for funding. In addition, communities

assisted by the project must also be identified. These can be

Communities at Risk and/or Communities of Interest.

The CA program is divided into three activity areas in which funding can

be requested. These are:

Risk Assessments – The initial summary assessment of life or property

exposure risks associated with wildfire. This includes landscape level

and/or community level assessments. A Risk Assessment usually

precedes a Mitigation Plan. The results of a risk assessment may be

displayed in various data formats including tabular, geographic

information system (GIS) or a written report.

Fire/Mitigation Plans – A Mitigation Plan is a specific action plan,

usually developed after the completion of the Risk Assessment that

details how hazards identified in the Risk Assessment will be mitigated.

This activity includes Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP) and

BIA Wildfire Prevention Plans. A BIA WFPP is a CWPP equivalent, if all

requirements of a CWPP have been met (see BIA Wildfire Prevention

Handbook).

Implementation Actions – A completed Risk Assessment and/or

Mitigation Plan is required to apply for funding under this activity.

Implementation Actions includes the following sub categories:

Community Outreach Event – These cover fire issues in general

targeted to a specific community (homeowner training like Firewise is

covered under training below) and covers many topics like fire history,

the role of fire, general preparation for fire events, chipper days.

Data Collection, Coordination and Distribution – These activities are

separate actions from home evaluations/assessments and monitoring.

These could include activities that gather information regarding fire, fire

ecology, historical use of fire by tribes, before and after surveys of

homeowner opinions/actions, general demographic information

collection.

Home Evaluations/Assessments – the actual evaluation or

assessments of homes. These evaluations may be part of the risk

assessment. Each home evaluation is counted as one unit.

Media and Public Information Event – These are general in nature, or

are in conjunction with other events (Powwows, fairs, parades, etc…)

where homeowner or community fire preparations are one of many

topics addressed in the overall event when the target audience is the

general public where the media may be present or invited.

Monitoring – This long term (more than one year) post event monitoring

implementation activities. For example, tracking how many homeowners

implemented and maintained mitigation activities such as FIREWISE

principles, survivable space etc… after a defined number of years.

Signing – This is specific to a fire education sign campaign. It includes

the development and implementation. Examples include interpretive

signs, evacuation route signs, fire education billboard leasing, exhibits,

kiosks, and other visual fire education efforts. Do not count the number

of signs, exhibits or displays, count the number of campaigns.

Training Residents – Those events that are primarily focused on

training residents/homeowners on what to do around their homes and

communities. These would include Firewise type presentations. It would

also include training in home evaluations, and demonstration projects.

Other –This includes things like ad campaigns, teacher education

activities, train the trainer courses, community level training, and other

activities which are designed to reduce or eliminate risks to persons or

property.

Prevention activities are those actions taken to reduce the number of

human caused wildfires. These activities should be funded through

92T00 and should not be captured in NFPORS.

Treatments that result in acres being accomplished through grant

programs. These treatments are entered in Hazardous Fuels module.

Entering the NFPORS Community Assistance Module

After logging into NFPORS, select the Community Assistance module

button on the NFPORS module banner at the top of the page (as

displayed below).

Once this module is selected, the main screen will display summary

information for the unit(s) the user has access to within NFPORS. From

this screen, the user can view summary data for the unit(s) related to the

following areas:

• RFA Request Summary

• Risk Assessments

• Community Assistance Partners

• WUI Planning Areas

• Fire/Mitigation Plans

• Implementation Actions

The user also has the ability to view specific, detailed information for the

categories above. Lastly, the user is able to create new items within the

categories above.

Customize Portal allows the user to

change if and how the portlets are

displayed.

The web based user manual provides

easy searches.

The PDF version is the best option for

printing the manual.

Out-year plans are not used at a

national evel for any purpose and it is

recommended that users not enter

data here unless it is used locally.

Create a Partner

The foundation of Community Assistance is collaboration with partners;

therefore, any community assistance activity begins with the

identification of partners. Once a partner is created, it is available for any

other community assistance activities.

Steps

1. Enter Partner Name

2. Select Partner Type

3. Select Predominant State

4. Select Predominant Congressional District

5. Click on the Save Button when completed

Note: RFA and WUI use the same partner list, however, only partners

identified as “Fire Department” are visible in the RFA section.

Create a WUI Planning Area

A WUI Planning Area should relate to a community and its values as

identified in a CWPP/E. Ideally, a WUI Planning Area will correspond to

a project area in the Hazardous Fuels Module

Planning Area Name

• This is a user defined field

• Recommendation: Include the

community name

Planning Area Type

• Only county or local plans are

available from the HF module

Predominant State /

Congressional

District

• Select from the drop down lists

Partners

• Select as many partners as

apply

Assisted Communities

• Communities at Risk

o Use the Map to select

communities identified in the

Federal Register

• Enter New Community of Interest if the community isn’t in the CAR

list

o Enter the name of the community

o Once entered, the name can not be edited or deleted so use caution

and ensure the

community doesn’t already exist

Steps

1. Name WUI Planning Area

2. Select Planning Area Type

3. Select Predominant State

4. Select Predominant Congressional District

5. Check Partners

6. Add Communities at Risk using UseMap

7. Add Communities of Interest by typing name in list

8. Click on the Save Button when completed

Risk Assessment / Mitigation Plan (CWPP/E)

The screens for Risk Assessment, Mitigation Plan (CWPP/E) and

Implementation Actions are the same with a few minor exceptions.

Because the national focus is Mitigation Plans (CWPP/E), it is

used for demonstration purposes. Information unique to Implementation

Actions will be described separately.

Create a Fire/Mitigation Plan

Target FY

Used to determine which FY the CWPP/E was / will be completed in

• For existing CWPP/Es, enter the FY the plan was completed

• For new CWPP/Es, enter the year the plan should be completed

Funding Source

This drop down list allows the user to identify the funding source/s for

the treatment.

• If multiple sources are contributing, select the one with the greatest

contribution

o In-kind services can be considered joint funding / contributed funding

if there is an agreement or other documentation of the exchange and

estimated value

• Joint funding indicates hazardous fuels funding is being used in

conjunction with another funding source

• Contributed Funds indicates the treatment is 100% funded by another

source. Therefore, the planned direct cost should always be zero (0) as

no hazardous fuels funds are needed Planning Area Name

• Select Planning Area from drop down list

of existing WUI Planning Areas

Mitigation Plan Name

• Enter the name of the CWPP/E or other

plan as applicable

Local Identifier

• If this is an existing CWPP/E for an area

that has a Fuels Project Code for

Hazardous Fuels Reduction treatments,

enter the following:

• Project Code, Risk Rating

o Risk Rating as determined by the

CWPP/E or equivalent analysis

process (like RAMS) for the entire

area covered

o Use the most specific Risk Rating

available

• If this is a new CWPP/E and there isn’t a

project code, enter XXXX for the project

code then the Risk Rating

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Status

When the Community Assistance module was created, it was intended

to track requests through the grant process. Status identifies where a

grant is in the process.

• When a status is selected, the user will be prompted to enter a date

o Pending – system default for a new entry. A request / grant

application has been received but no decision has been made

o Rejected – the request did not meet minimum requirements

o Unfunded – the request qualified but was not funded

o Awarded – the grant was awarded

o Complete - the activities covered in the grant were completed

• It is not necessary to select each status, i.e. a plan can be identified as

awarded or complete when it is entered

o Requested, awarded and completed dates / amounts can be entered

at the same time

• Only requested information is required if a request is marked Rejected

or Unfunded Request Date

The request date would be the date a grant request was received.

• For many mitigation plans, we are

entering CWPP/Es that were

completed but not entered into

NFPORS in the past. NFPORS will

not allow a date to be entered in a

FY that has been locked – all

previous FYs. Enter a date in the

current FY.

Requested Number

The number requested.

• For CWPPs, always enter one (1)

for the specific planning area

• For risk assessments that are NOT

part of a CWPP, enter the number

of actions requested

o If a subdivision of 15 homes

requests a RA, enter 1, not

• For Implementation Action, count events

o A chipper day in a neighborhood is one event, regardless of the

number of houses

included

o An informational booth at the fair is one event that may last five days

o A presentation to six different classes at a single school is one event

o A presentation at two different schools in one day is two events

Requested Amount ($)

The amount requested by the grantee

• This should be a dollar amount greater than zero (0)

• For planning purposes, this will be considered “additional capacity” or

work that could be done if funds became available (examples: FY09

Supplemental and FY09 Stimulus)

Award Date

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The date the request was approved

Awarded Amount ($)

• The Awarded Amount should reflect the total project dollars approved

for the action / event

• This is the equivalent to “Approved” on the HF side

• Anticipate using this in FPDSS in the future

The State Office should ensure the Total PDC from both Hazardous

Fuels and Community

Assistance for the state equals the state’s total project dollar

allocation as identified in the

PTA/AWP

Local Contribution ($)

The contribution of the requestor

• This can include the value of “in-kind” contributions

Portion Contracted ($)

The project dollars applied to a contract

Agreement Number

The agreement number assigned to this request

Local Contractor Used

Yes / No / Unknown

Completion Date

The date all the activities or events awarded are completed

Completed Number

The number of activities or events completed

• Should not exceed the number awarded

Notes

The project notes field is a text field. Text can be copies from other

applications (like Microsoft Word)

and pasted into this field. This is an excellent place for information about

the CWPP/E – date

completed, if it has been reviewed and when, what the primary

objectives are that affect BLM, etc. If

In-Kind services are part of the local contribution, please include a brief

description here.

NEXT> Clicking on Next will bring up step two which allows users to

identify specific partners and

communities from the WUI Planning Area that are involved in the

selected activity.

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Partners

• Select as many partners as apply

• Only partners associated with the WUI planning area are available

Assisted Communities

• Select applicable communities

• Only communities associated with the WUI planning area are available

Click Save

OPTIONAL: Once a Mitigation Plan / CWPP/E has been saved, a field is

displayed that allows the

user to associate the Mitigation Plan / CWPP/E with an existing Risk

Assessment. It is NOT

necessary to create a Risk Assessment to enter a Mitigation Plan /

CWPP/E.

Steps

1. Select WUI Planning Area from drop down list

2. Enter Name

3. Enter Project Number / Risk Rating in Local Identifier Field if available

4. Enter Target FY

5. Select Funding Source from drop down menu

6. Select Status

7. Enter Requested Date

8. Enter Requested Number

9. Enter Requested Amount ($)’

10. Select the appropriate status, enter additional information for

Awarded and Completed

11. Click on Next

12. Check Partners

13. Check Communities at Risk/Communities of Interest

14. Click on the Save Button when completed

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15. Associate Risk Assessment if desired

Implementation Actions

Implementation Actions include a drop down menu of the types of

actions taken. The following options are available:

In all of these cases we are counting the number of events or actions

NOT numbers of people attending, acres analyzed, etc.

Community Outreach Event – These cover fire issues in general

(specific homeowner training like Firewise is elsewhere) and covers

many topics like fire history, the role of fire, general preparation for fire

events, chipper days.

Data Collection, Coordination and Distribution – These activities are

separate actions from those activities they seek to collect information

about. These could include before and after survey of homeowner

opinions/actions, survey of homes in the community, general

demographic/service information data collection.

Home Evaluations/Assessments – the actual evaluation or

assessments of homes. Each home evaluation is counted as counted as

one unit.

Media and Public Information Event – These are general in nature, or

are in conjunction with other events (fairs, parades) where homeowner

or community fire preparations are one of many topics addressed in the

overall event when the target audience is the general public or specific

elements of the media.

Monitoring – This long term (more than one year) post event

monitoring. For example, tracking how many homeowners maintain

defensible space after x years.

Other –This includes things like ad campaigns, teacher education

activities.

Signing – Theses are action related to the establishment/maintenance

of sign information programs. This is not fire prevention signage. Do not

count the number of signs. A neighborhood sign campaign is one unit.

Training Residents – Those events that are primarily focused on

training residents/homeowners on what to do around their homes and

communities. These would include Firewise type presentations. It would

also include training in home evaluations, and demonstration projects.

A separate record is required for each Implementation Action. NFPORS

allows users to copy Implementation Actions which reduces the amount

of data entry required.

There are many types of projects that fall under the realm of Community Assistance. Along

with a good description and cost break down, one has an excellent chance of funding these

projects. Listed below are the types of projects that fall under Community Assistance:

Community Risk Assessments

Mitigation Plans

Training Residents

Community Outreach

Data Collection, Coordination & Distribution

Home Evaluations

Media & Public Events

Monitoring

Signage

The next page is a form to present your proposal in. Please call if you have any questions.

Community Assistance Project Proposal Form

Sample Outline for Project Proposal with Required Elements

Agency/Tribe:

Local Unit:

Local Contact:

Regional Contact:

Type of Request (Risk Assessment, Mitigation Plan, SCA Fire Ed, Tribal Fire Ed Team,

Prevention and/or Educational Workshop etc..): 5 Person FEC Team

Priority: (To be used if multiple requests from are submitted by region or local unit) 1 of 5

Duration: 3 Month FEC Team

*Note: (Choose from 3, or 6 Month for SCA FEC Teams)

Project Description: The Any Agency is located in the central portion of the United States

with an abundance of grasslands and some timber resources. Our WUI problem is

concentrated around the towns of Anyplace and Any location with a scattering of ranching

structures along Any Creek. We are hoping to use the SCA team to complete a number of

home assessments around these areas, to do a demonstration project to show an appropriate

WUI home for our environment, and to distribute information at the AnyPeople Powwow

and the 4th of July parade. We also hope to have a completed GIS map with imbedded home

assessment information by the end of the second season. We will use the home assessments

to help us prioritize our future WUI treatments.

Objectives: Assess 500 homes on the Any Agency and eventually create GIS map. Increase

WUI awareness on the Any Agency by attending at least 5 educational opportunities

(Powwows, parades, etc.).

*Note: There must be a documentation process in place to show that the objectives met the

goals.

Goal: With the information from the home assessments, we hope to better define our WUI

program and use the information to prioritize future WUI fuels treatments. WUI awareness

will be increased with visibility of SCA crew on the Any Agency while doing home

assessments, attending Powwows, parades, etc.

Projected Length of Project: 2 Seasons; 1st season for data collection with FEC Team, and

2nd season for GIS project for a SCA Individual Placement Intern with GIS background.

Justification: (for Selected SCA-Related Items from Fire Ed. Worksheet: 3 Month Team—

should be able to accomplish 500 home assessments within this timeframe; SCA Fire Ed.

Training—required by SCA; 6 Month Truck lease—staff leader will need vehicle before and

after team leaves; computer, Trimble unit, digital camera printer, cell phone, office supplies,

and uniform will all be needed for completion of project (note: computer will likely be most

useful next year when we request GIS capabilities). This position will support the

WUI/Prevention Specialist and Fuels Specialist in developing maps of fires, communities

and tribal ownerships. Integral in this support will be the need for a computer that is capable

of GIS, a GPS unit and some form of transportation for field work to verify locations and

coordinate with Agency and Regional office personnel.

Budget Proposal: Must include itemized list (if SCA request leave blank)

Submitted By:

Concurred By Regional WUI/Prevention Specialist and/or Fuels Specialist and/or

Ecologist:

*Note: If this is a Community Assistance project using Tribal or Agency personnel, the Tribe

or Agency is responsible for entering the CA project into NFPORS.

Smokey Bear

Guidelines

March 2011

100

INTRODUCTION

The Cooperative Forest Fire Prevention (CFFP) Program, commonly known as the Smokey

Bear

Program, was created to maintain public awareness of the need to prevent human caused

wildfires. It is managed by the US Forest Service in cooperation with the Advertising

Council, Inc. and the National Association of State Foresters (NASF).

OBJECTIVES

The Smokey Bear Guidelines will inform and educate participants about all aspects of the

CFFP

Program. It will also introduce them to tools and techniques for accomplishing prevention

activities, and administrative requirements of the Program.

CONTENTS of the GUIDE

The contents of this guide include:

· History

· CFFP Program Objectives

· Program Components

· Public Service Advertising

· Campaign and Educational Materials

· Educational Activities

· Commercial Licensing

· Image and Appearance

· Awards and Recognition

HISTORY

The guardian of our forest has been a part of the American scene for so many years it is hard

for

most of us to remember when he first appeared. Dressed in a ranger's hat, belted blue jeans

and

carrying a shovel, he has been the recognized wildfire prevention symbol since 1944. Today,

Smokey Bear is a highly recognized advertising symbol and is protected by Federal law (PL

82359, as amended by PL 92-318). He even has his own private zip code 20252.

To understand how Smokey Bear became associated with wildfire prevention, we must go

back to World War II. On December 7, 1941, Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor. The

following spring, in 1942, a Japanese submarine surfaced near the coast of Southern

California and fired a salvo of shells that exploded on an oil field near Santa Barbara, very

close to the Los Padres National Forest.

Americans throughout the country were shocked by the news the war had now been brought

directly to the American mainland. There was also fear that enemy incendiary shells

101

exploding in the timber stands along the Pacific Coast could easily set off numerous raging

forest fires in addition to those already being caused by people. Protection of these forests

from uncontrolled fire became a matter of national importance, and a new idea was born. If

people could be urged to be more careful, perhaps some of the fires could be prevented.

Forest fires caused by people were nothing new. For many years, the Nation had known that

forest fires presented a serious threat. As early as 1902, there was a standard General Land

Office forest fire warning poster that gave some guidelines for keeping fires under control. In

1939, a poster showing a forest ranger who looked like Uncle Sam pointing to a raging forest

fire stated "Your Forest-Your Fault-Your Loss.”

Statistics showed that nine out of ten of the fires were person-caused and, thus, preventable.

With this in mind, in 1942 the Forest Service organized the Cooperative Forest Fire

Prevention Programwith the help of the Wartime Advertising Council. The Wartime

Advertising Council was composed of people experienced in the business of advertising who

donated their talent to the U.S. Government to get important messages to the people.

Posters and slogans were created through the Wartime Advertising Council, including

"Forest

Fires Aid the Enemy," and "Our Carelessness, Their Secret Weapon." By using catchy

phrases,

colorful posters and other fire prevention messages, the CFFP Program encouraged people to

prevent accidental fires and help with the War.

Walt Disney's motion picture, "Bambi", was produced in 1944 and Disney authorized the

CFFP Program to use his creation on a poster. The Bambi poster was a success and proved

that using an animal as a fire prevention symbol would work. Bambi could not be used in

subsequent

campaigns because it was on loan from Walt Disney studios for only one year. The Forest

Service needed to find an animal that would belong exclusively to the Cooperative Forest

Fire Prevention Program. It was finally decided that the Nation's fire prevention symbol

should be a bear.

On August 9, 1944, the new fire prevention symbol was agreed upon by the Forest Service

and the Wartime Advertising Council. Artist Albert Staehle was asked to paint the first poster

of Smokey Bear. It showed a bear pouring a bucket of water on a campfire. Smokey Bear

soon became very popular and his image began appearing on fire prevention materials.

"Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires" was first used as a slogan in 1947. Jackson Weaver, a

noted radio personality of Washington, D.C. provided the original "Voice" of Smokey Bear.

One spring day in 1950 in the Capitan Mountains of New Mexico, an observer in one of the

fire

towers spotted smoke and called the location into the nearest Ranger Station. The first crew

arrive discovered a major fire being swept along by strong winds. Word spread rapidly and

crews were called to help. Forest Rangers, Army Soldiers, New Mexico State Game and Fish

102

Department employees and civilian volunteers worked together to control the raging fire.

During

one of the lulls in the fire fighting, there was a report of a lonely cub seen wandering near the

fireline.

The little cub had been caught in the path of the fire. He had taken refuge in a tree that was

now

nothing but a charred, smoking snag. His climb had saved his life but left him badly burned

on the paws and hind legs. The firefighters removed the little bear cub from the burned tree

and a

rancher, who had been helping the firefighters, agreed to take the cub home. The cub needed

veterinary aid and was flown to Santa Fe where the burns were treated and bandaged.

The news about the little bear spread swiftly throughout New Mexico. Soon the United Press

and

Associated Press picked up the story and broadcast it nationwide. Many people inquired

about the little bear's progress. The State Game Warden wrote an official letter to the Chief

of the Forest Service, offering to present the cub to the agency with the understanding that

the small bear would be dedicated to a publicity program for fire prevention and wildlife

conservation.

The go-ahead was given to send the bear cub to Washington, D.C. Once there, he found a

home at the National Zoo and became the living symbol of Smokey Bear. Smokey died in

1976 and was returned to Capitan, New Mexico, where he is buried in the State Historical

Park.

In November 1951, the first Smokey Bear costume was fabricated by Wass of Philadelphia

for the Virginia Division of Forestry. Its success prompted the US Exhibit Service to make

additional costumes. Today Smokey Bear costumes are only made by licensed contractors

and are only sold to Federal and State firefighting agencies. Any other sales must be

approved in writing.

By 1952, the Smokey Bear symbol was sufficiently established to attract commercial interest.

Legislation was passed, PL 82-359, to take Smokey out of public domain and place him

under the control of the Secretary of Agriculture. An amendment to that Act, PL 93- 318,

passed in 1974, enabled commercial licensing and directed that fees and royalties be used to

promote forest fire prevention. Hundreds of items have been licensed under this authority

over the years.

The Junior Forest Ranger program was also started in 1952. This activity encouraged

children

throughout the Nation to write to Smokey Bear expressing their interest in fire prevention. In

reply they would receive a Junior Forest Ranger Kit and other fire prevention materials. By

1965, the volume of mail for this activity was so high that Smokey Bear received his own Zip

Code. The program has been recently redesigned to keep pace with state-of-the-art

educational techniques.

The CFFP Program rode through the 1970's and into the 1980's with lessened momentum.

103

Smokey's early years had been easy because it was a simpler time when his familiar message

was one of the few being pushed. However, intense competition, global markets and rapid

technological changes emerged, and Smokey found it difficult to compete for a share of the

public's attention.

In 1984, Smokey's 40th Birthday was celebrated, and the first day issue of his postage stamp

took place in Capitan, New Mexico. In 1987, Smokey Sports was launched as a new

component of the CFFP Program. "National Smokey Bear Day" was conducted with all

major league baseball teams in the United States and Canada. The decade of the 90’s opened

the door for Smokey’s revitalization and revival by celebrating his 50th birthday with a

nationwide celebration engaging in high visibility activities and events.

Smokey's message of "Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires" was changed to "Only You Can

Prevent Wildfires" in 2001. The term wildfire applies to any uncontrolled outdoor fire. The

new

tagline was created by The Advertising Council, along with the US Forest Service and the

National Association of State Foresters (NASF), in response to the recent and rampant

outbreak of wildfires, and in an effort to make Smokey’s message of forest conservation

more contemporary.

In 2004, Smokey celebrated his 60th Birthday with a special logo incorporating the line “60

Years

of Vigilance.” At a high-profile ceremony in Universal City, CA, Smokey blew out his

candles

while children of wildland fire fighters sang Happy Birthday to him. At the celebration

Smokey

personalized giftwrapped shovel.

To renew the important message of wildfire prevention to Americans, Smokey enlisted the

help of Bambi in 2004. Smokey has an experienced partner in Bambi, who was actually the

first face of the forest fire prevention message in 1942. DraftFCB, Southern California, who

has worked on the campaign since the beginning, featured Bambi on posters to remind us to

be careful with our forests. TV Public Service Announcements (PSAs) featuring Bambi were

created, and asked us all to "Don't Let Our Forests Become Once Upon a Time."

Has all this effort to prevent wildfires had an effect? During the 1930’s, the average annual

number of wildfires was 167,277. During the 1950’s, the average yearly number of wildfires

was

down to 125,948. During the 1990’s the number was 106,306. Now this number does include

lightning started wildfires, but the trend is definitely going down.

From 2001 through 2008, almost 65,000 wildfires occurred each year from human

carelessness

and those fires burned an average of 2,560,000 acres each year. We still have a lot of work to

do.

Children need to hear and learn about Smokey Bear and his wildfire prevention message, and

adults need to be continually reminded of the need to prevent wildfires.

104

"Remember, Only YOU Can Prevent Wildfires!"

CFFP PROGRAM OBJECTIVE

The objective of the Cooperative Forest Fire Prevention (CFFP) Program is to create and

maintain a public awareness about wildfire prevention.

Policy

The National CFFP Program provides a framework, which can be expanded upon by

Regional,

State, and local efforts. The State and local programs should identify specific problem areas

and

planned solutions. Using Smokey Bear as the vehicle for wildfire prevention messages and a

variety of techniques stimulate active support and cooperation with other public agencies,

educators, businesses, industry, and people interested in working to prevent unwanted

personcaused wildfires.

The official Forest Service program policy and guidelines can be found in Forest Service

Manual

(FSM) Chapter 3110, Cooperative Forest Fire Prevention (CFFP) and Forest Service

Handbook

(FSH) 5109.18, Chapter 20, Cooperative Forest Fire Prevention Program (CFFP).

Responsibilities

CFFP Committee

The CFFP Committee consists of three State Foresters, The Advertising Council, and the US

Forest Service. The Committee meets about three times a year or as needed. The National

Association of State Foresters (NASF), The Ad Council, and the US Forest Service are in

constant communication about the elements and the development of the program usually

weekly and often daily. The Committee sets the direction of the program, reviews the

elements and creative work by the advertising agency and selects the winners of the Smokey

Bear awards.

Washington Office

The CFFP Program is administered by the Director of Fire and Aviation Management

(F&AM)

through the Program Manager, Branch Chief, Fire Prevention. It is responsive to the wildland

fire prevention needs of the National Forest System, State forestry organizations, other

Federal

agencies, fire service organizations and local and private groups.

Regions and Area

Each Regional Forester and the Area Director assigns the primary responsibility for the

CFFP

Program to one Staff unit. A member of that Staff should be assigned as Regional/Area CFFP

105

Coordinator. The Regional/Area Coordinators facilitate resolution of issues and concerns,

implement programs of work, organize activities, and provide liaison between the

Washington

Office and local areas.

PROGRAM COMPONENTS

There are five major components to the CFFP Program:

1. Public Service Advertising using the media, through educational and community

involvement activities, corporate sponsorships, special prevention promotions and with

collateral materials.

2. Campaign and Educational Activities including classroom programs, national cache

materials, and Junior Forest Ranger program.

3. Commercial Licensing

4. Image and Appearance including standards and quality control for trademark

protection, presentation, artwork and costume use

5. Awards and Recognition

PUBLIC SERVICE ADVERTISING

Public service advertising is an important component of the CFFP Program. It presents the

wildfire prevention message to the public via the media and with campaign collateral

materials.

Public service advertising can also be accomplished through educational and community

involvement activities, corporate sponsorships, and with sports promotions.

The Advertising Council, under the direction of the US Forest Service and the National

Association of State Foresters, creates and produces national media CFFP public service

advertising. Materials are designed for distribution to audio, video, internet and print outlets.

Since the inception of the CFFP Program, the advertising firm of DraftFCB, Southern

California

(previously known as Foote, Cone and Belding), has contributed resources and talents to

create

program materials. Draft FCB, Southern California is a professional advertising firm that

donates

its time and talent to the creative products used in the Smokey Campaign. Their work is

reviewed by the CFFP Committee and the Ad Council before the products ever reach

production. Their creative work consists of posters, print ads, radio and TV Public Service

Announcements, and other related campaign material. The quality of the products and the

experience of the ad agency are critical to the success of the fire prevention program.

Media

Television and Radio

The Advertising Council packages national public service advertising into television and

radio kits (PSAs). One or more PSAs may be distributed in each category. Television kits

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include photo-storyboards and videotapes. Radio kits include a live script and recorded

copy. Both include a letter describing the focus of the advertising campaign and some

statistical information. These kits are distributed to all broadcast and cable networks, local

TV and cable outlets, and 95% of all radio stations across the country. Personal contact

should be made with television and radio station program managers in local areas of

influence to advise them of local fire issues and situations and to encourage them to use the

public service advertising.

Newspaper and Magazines

The Advertising Council packages national PSAs for the print media. Newspaper and

magazine mailers are distributed to dailies and weeklies, specialty, consumer, and

children's magazines across the country. These mailers include campaign information and

relevant statistics, show thumbnail images of current print materials available, and include

ordering information. All print materials are also available as free downloads from the Ad

Council’s website – www.adcouncil.org; go to PSACentral. Following distribution of the

newspaper and magazine kits, visits should be scheduled with local editors to encourage

the use of the materials and provide advice on the local fire issues and situations.

Distributions occur throughout the year.

During personal visits to local media offices, you should take the opportunity to distribute

appropriate CFFP campaign materials.

Other Media

The Advertising Council also produces and distributes PSAs for transit authorities,

transportation shelters, internet service providers and outdoor advertisers. Transit

authorities, transportation companies and outdoor advertisers should be approached to

donate vacant space. These materials must be requested and are not automatically shipped.

Social Media

To reach all audiences, Smokey Bear has official social media sites (managed through the

Ad Council).

Official website: http://www.smokeybear.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/smokeybear/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/smokey_bear/

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/wildfireprevention/

Mobile: http://www.smokeybearmobile.com/

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/Smokeybear

Field Production of Public Service Advertising

Local Forest Service and State Forestry units are encouraged to produce PSAs for local

media and advertising for community and other information awareness purposes when it is

determined that they are needed to supplement the national campaign, or to address specific

local or regional

problems. Use local material in conjunction with the PSAs produced by the Advertising

Council

for the national campaign.

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Ensure that locally produced advertising deals exclusively with fire prevention and that it

will not detract from the national image of Smokey Bear. Standard wording on a credit line is

"A public service in wildfire prevention brought to you by the US Forest Service, your State

Forester (or specific State Forester), and supported by _______________________.

Reproduction or resale is prohibited under 16 USC 580." Local spots shall not portray

Smokey Bear as a spokesman for any issue other than wildfire prevention. Do not include

other advertising symbols, such as Woodsy Owl, McGruff, or Sparkey without the express

approval of the Director, F&AM, Washington Office.

Campaign and Educational Materials

Campaign and fire prevention educational materials are developed and maintained at the

National

Symbols Cache (http://www.symbols.gov/). The materials are developed in cooperation with

the

Conservation Education Staff, Fire and Aviation Management, and the CFFP Committee.

The

current objective is to provide fire prevention materials that are suitable for teachers and meet

standards of learning.

Campaign Materials

Campaign materials are created to reinforce the fire prevention message and to maintain

public awareness of the need to prevent wildfires. The items are designed to provide

maximum educational value. They are offered based on usability, functionality, and

practicality.

Campaign materials may feature a basic poster using Smokey Bear's image and a fire

prevention message. Specialty posters featuring nature groups with teacher education

materials are also available. Posters should be conspicuously placed in schools, libraries,

Federal and State offices, fire departments, and on community bulletin boards. They

should also be displayed in places where youth activity groups meet. Extensive use of

these fire prevention materials should be encouraged at the local levels. Replace posters

when they become weathered or are no longer timely. Obtain permission from the owner

before placing posters on private property, such as in store windows.

Bookmarks, decals, rulers, pens and pencils, erasers, coloring sheets, and other items place

the wildfire prevention message in front of elementary school children and others on a

continuing basis. Place bookmarks in libraries, schools, bookmobiles, and bookstores.

Other campaign materials should be distributed as appropriate.

Campaign materials are designed and made available for all age groups. They are designed

to bring the prevention message home on a continuing basis. Distributed materials should

be appropriate to the age group involved.

Campaign materials are also available through the NASF annual catalog (see below).

Note: More than 100 vendors are approved Smokey Bear licensees. Anyone may buy

from these licensees and these items may be resold; however, a license from the US Forest

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Service may be needed to resell those items. See the Commercial Licensing section below.

Distribution

Materials should be purchased and distributed where they will be most effective.

Campaign materials obtained from the Symbols Cache must be made available for

free and cannot be resold.

Field Production of Campaign Materials

Field units are strongly encouraged to design, produce, and distribute materials that meet a

specific need and may not be available through the Cache, NASF annual campaign catalog,

or commercial licensees.

To insure that the high standards which apply to the National campaign are met in any field

production, and to insure uniformity of Smokey's image, it is important that Regional/Area

coordinators be involved in the very earliest development stages. Only approved Smokey

Bear art shall be used and care must be taken that the field production does not conflict with

or detract from the National effort.

There are areas that are especially subject to abuse. These are T-shirt and jacket arts

for

fire crews, employee associations, Ranger Districts, and special events such as fun runs,

FAX

cover sheets, book/folders, conference notices, and computer generated graphics. Only

approved and dated art will be permitted. Smokey's image will not be demeaned or

tarnished. If, for any reason, these products are offered for sale they are subject to

regulations governing licensing.

National Association of State Foresters Catalog

The National Association of State Foresters (NASF) sends its catalog to all State Foresters

and

National Forests. Any Federal agency may order their products for use in wildfire prevention

programs. As with CFFP items (Symbols Cache items), they may not be resold. For more

information, please visit: http://www.stateforesters.org/smokey_bear/education.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND MATERIALS

The educational component of the CFFP Program is designed to create and maintain an

awareness of the need to prevent wildfires by providing a method of reminding children of

their fire prevention responsibilities.

Many of the CFFP campaign items can enhance teaching opportunities. Take advantage of

opportunities to work with teachers and supply them with CFFP materials that will support

their

teaching efforts.

Material that is old, outdated and/or discontinued, along with items that no longer support the

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CFFP emphasis should not be distributed. These materials may convey misinformation or

conflict with current Program strategy.

COMMERCIAL LICENSING

Objectives

The Smokey Bear Act, P.L. 82-359, as amended by P.L. 92-318, and regulations of the

Secretary

of Agriculture (36 CFR 271) provide for the commercial use of the character and name of

Smokey

Bear. The objectives of commercial licensing are:

1. To assist in communicating Smokey Bear's wildfire prevention message.

2. To maintain the integrity of the Smokey Bear image as the National symbol of wildfire

prevention.

3. To insure that all products maintain standards of high quality and good taste.

4. To generate funds to further nationwide wildfire prevention activities.

Policy

The Director, Fire and Aviation Management, US Forest Service, after consultation with the

National Association of State Foresters and the Advertising Council, is responsible for

approving

commercial licensing activities. This responsibility may not be delegated. Day-to-day

administration has been contracted to a Licensing Agency. The Agency provides aggressive,

professional services that meet the Program's commercial licensing objectives.

The use of Smokey Bear as a proprietary brand name is prohibited. By words or illustrations,

Smokey Bear will not endorse a commercial product or service. The Smokey Bear symbol

will

always be used in conjunction with an approved fire prevention message. All licenses shall

display the official logo on products, packaging or advertising. Unauthorized commercial

uses are punishable by law.

Application/Approval Procedure

Persons interested in submitting a License Proposal should contact the USFS Fire Prevention

Program Manager (202-205-1483) or the licensing contractor for the appropriate forms and

rules.

Official Logo

An official Smokey Bear Licensee has the right to use the official Smokey Licensee Logo.

No one other than official licensees may use this logo. The logo should appear on all licensed

products. No product bearing Smokey's image may be produced without a license or should

be sold without this logo. The logo should also be used in all advertising and promotional

materials for officially licensed Smokey Bear items. For a current list of authorized licensees

please visit

http://www.themetisgroup.com/smokeybear/index.php or contact the US Forest Service Fire

Prevention Program Manager (202-205-1483).

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Advertising and Art

All art and advertising using the image of Smokey Bear must be approved by the US Forest

Service prior to its use.

The PMS color system of acceptable colors for use on Smokey Bear is:

Hat: PMS 467 (Beige)

Hatband: PMS 472 (Light Brown)

Eyes: PMS 469 (Dark Brown)

Muzzle: PMS 468 (Light Beige)

Face: PMS 470 (Medium Brown)

Body: PMS 470 (Medium Brown)

Pants: PMS 299 (Blue)

Belt: PMS 469 (Dark Brown)

Buckle: PMS 131 (Gold)

"SMOKEY": PMS 472 (Light Brown)

Smokey may not be depicted as endorsing a product, but he may appear with the product.

Smokey's message should always address wildfire prevention.

For example:

Remember, Only YOU Can Prevent Wildfires!

Prevent Wildfires!

Break Your Matches!

Drown Your Campfires!

Help Smokey Prevent Wildfires!

Smokey's Friends Don't Play With Matches!

9-out-of-10 Wildfires are Caused by People!

Careless Campers Cause Fires!

Violations

Items produced for commercial sale that contain or use the Smokey Bear image, name, or

message

without benefit of a license violate Public Law 82-359, as amended by P.L. 92-318. Report

suspected violations directly to the Director, F & AM, Washington Office, who shall take

action

necessary up to and including civil and criminal court actions to stop the violator.

IMAGE AND APPEARANCE

The key to Smokey's worldwide recognition is credited to the positive image that has been

promoted since the inception of the Program. Uniform standards have been identified for all

aspects of Smokey's image, from drawings to the manufacture of the costume to public

appearances.

Artwork

Only Smokey Bear artwork, approved and dated by the Director, F & AM, Washington

Office,

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may be used. Reproductions of existing art may not be approved. WHEN IN DOUBT

CHECK IT OUT! Glossy black-and-white and color print

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