secrest fire smith shields forest health sfs response letter 8...

From: Secrest FireTo: Little, Tera -FS; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected];

[email protected]; Kolarich, Clint -FS; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected];[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected];[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected];[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected];[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected];[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected];[email protected]; [email protected]; Bob Fry

Cc: Sienkiewicz, Alex -FS; Erickson, Mary C -FS; "Rick Seidlitz"Subject: Smith-Shields Healthy Forest Project "SFS "ResponseDate: Friday, August 19, 2016 1:41:50 PMAttachments: image001.png

Smith Shields Forest Health SFS Response Letter 8-19-16.pdf

All: Attached is my response in the next step in the collaborative for the Smith-Shields Healthy ForestProject.

Hope to have a good productive discussion at the meeting in Clyde Park on the 24th. Jess

Secrest Fire SolutionsJess SecrestPO Box 697White Sulphur SpringsMT 59645PH 406-799-4576Email [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

Smith Shields Forest Health Project

1

The Smith Shields Forest Health Project is a great opportunity to make a difference in forest

health by increasing forest resilience within the Smith Creek and Shield River drainages.

The Smith Creek Community of 74 structure locations with over 200 structures has the greatest

chance of multiple structure loss due to a wildland fire in Meagher County. The treatment of

forest areas adjacent to the subdivision needs to be the highest priority of this project. The areas

adjacent to the subdivision have been heavily effected by several different insects, which has

caused mortality of different tree species. The amount of fuel both live and dead, standing and

downed woody has created an environment for high intensity wildfire.

Many of the land owners within the Smith Creek Community have done fuels reduction projects

on their property including timber harvest. Several other are in the process of doing projects.

These project will become more viable if timber harvest operations are being done adjacent to

the community. Most structure owners have done firewise tasks to their structures and adjacent

to them.

The Smith Creek Community is in the process of becoming a recognized Firewise Community.

The Firewise Communities/USA Recognition Program ( http://www.firewise.org/usa-

recognition-program.aspx ) established in 2002, empowers neighbors to work together in

reducing their wildfire risk. Join the growing network of more than 1200 recognized Firewise

communities from across the nation taking action and ownership in preparing and protecting

their homes against the threat of wildfire. Using a five-step process, communities develop an

action plan that guides their residential risk reduction activities, while engaging and encouraging

their neighbors to become active participants in building a safer place to live.

Doing land management projects adjacent to the Smith Creek Community to help benefit this

community in protecting their structure and properties is the right thing to do. Not only from an

individual structure / property owners prospective but also from the responding fire agencies

(local volunteer fire departments and state and federal fire agencies).

The time and effort needed to do this project right will pay off when looking at it from the

prospective of long term forest management, structure/community protection, firefighter safety

and the dollars saved when a wildfire does occur.

The forest management work done on National Forest in the past years has done a lot in the

reduction of the severity of a wildfire event adjacent to the Smith Creek Community.

http://www.firewise.org/usa-recognition-program.aspx

http://www.firewise.org/usa-recognition-program.aspx


2

Additional areas are needed to further this effort. Treatment units 19a-f adjacent to section 7 will

help reduce the chance of a crown fire adjacent to the section and spreading into section 5.

Several land owners in section 7 adjacent to these units have expressed an interest in doing forest

management/fuels reduction projects. Treatment unit 7a will help in the concern for Lahren

structures. This area has been identified as a possible staging area during a wildfire event.

Treatment units 7c and 6 will help in the event of a wildfire the west of section 5.


3

Areas to the north and east of section 5 are needed. Proposed units include S32a (17 acres) and

S32b (40 acres) to the north of section 5 adjacent to private land that have done forest

management/fuels reduction projects. Unit S32a would be a commercial thinning where the 1994

Smith Creek Fire event burned. This unit would continue the thinning that has been done on

Targee/Richards property. Unit S32b would be a Sanitation/Salvage/Release adjacent to the

Ward property. The Ward property has been thinned with surface/ladder fuel reduction. This

unit’s boundary is within 100 feet of structures. Access to the unit would need 6/10th of a mile of

temp road from an existing unimproved road. and a temp stream crossing. Or could be accessed

thought the Targee/Richards property if the land owners agree to it.


4

Treatment units S4a (9 acres), S4b (3 acres) and S4c (20 acres) located to the east of section 5.

These units are adjacent to private land that have done some forest management/fuels reduction

projects and want to continue. There continued efforts would become more viable if efforts were

done on the National Forest. Units S4a and S4b would be a Sanitation/Salvage/Liberation. Unit

S4c would be a Sanitation/Salvage/Pre Commercial Thin (PCT). Access to the units would need

4/10th of a mile of temp road from an existing unimproved road.


5

I suggest the project area boundary include private land due to the private land is a primary

reason the project is in this area.

This area is identified in the Meagher County Wildfire Protection Plan “MC CWPP” 2014 as one

of the highest priority for fuels reduction projects in Meagher County. The issue of evacuation

routes was also identified in the MC CWPP as a high priority for this area. Road FS # 992 needs

to be improved from a structural and drainage stand point. Fuels mitigation and tree hazard work

needs to be done adjacent to this road.

Please take these comments and suggestions in to account as we work together in a collaborative

effort to do what’s right on this piece of National Forest.

Jess Secrest

Secrest Fire Solutions

Jess Secrest

PO Box 697

White Sulphur Springs

MT 59645

PH 406-799-4576

Email [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


6


1

The Smith Shields Forest Health Project is a great opportunity to make a difference in forest

health by increasing forest resilience within the Smith Creek and Shield River drainages.

The Smith Creek Community of 74 structure locations with over 200 structures has the greatest

chance of multiple structure loss due to a wildland fire in Meagher County. The treatment of

forest areas adjacent to the subdivision needs to be the highest priority of this project. The areas

adjacent to the subdivision have been heavily effected by several different insects, which has

caused mortality of different tree species. The amount of fuel both live and dead, standing and

downed woody has created an environment for high intensity wildfire.

Many of the land owners within the Smith Creek Community have done fuels reduction projects

on their property including timber harvest. Several other are in the process of doing projects.

These project will become more viable if timber harvest operations are being done adjacent to

the community. Most structure owners have done firewise tasks to their structures and adjacent

to them.

The Smith Creek Community is in the process of becoming a recognized Firewise Community.

The Firewise Communities/USA Recognition Program ( http://www.firewise.org/usa-

recognition-program.aspx ) established in 2002, empowers neighbors to work together in

reducing their wildfire risk. Join the growing network of more than 1200 recognized Firewise

communities from across the nation taking action and ownership in preparing and protecting

their homes against the threat of wildfire. Using a five-step process, communities develop an

action plan that guides their residential risk reduction activities, while engaging and encouraging

their neighbors to become active participants in building a safer place to live.

Doing land management projects adjacent to the Smith Creek Community to help benefit this

community in protecting their structure and properties is the right thing to do. Not only from an

individual structure / property owners prospective but also from the responding fire agencies

(local volunteer fire departments and state and federal fire agencies).

The time and effort needed to do this project right will pay off when looking at it from the

prospective of long term forest management, structure/community protection, firefighter safety

and the dollars saved when a wildfire does occur.

The forest management work done on National Forest in the past years has done a lot in the

reduction of the severity of a wildfire event adjacent to the Smith Creek Community.

http://www.firewise.org/usa-recognition-program.aspxhttp://www.firewise.org/usa-recognition-program.aspx


2

Additional areas are needed to further this effort. Treatment units 19a-f adjacent to section 7 will

help reduce the chance of a crown fire adjacent to the section and spreading into section 5.

Several land owners in section 7 adjacent to these units have expressed an interest in doing forest

management/fuels reduction projects. Treatment unit 7a will help in the concern for Lahren

structures. This area has been identified as a possible staging area during a wildfire event.

Treatment units 7c and 6 will help in the event of a wildfire the west of section 5.


3

Areas to the north and east of section 5 are needed. Proposed units include S32a (17 acres) and

S32b (40 acres) to the north of section 5 adjacent to private land that have done forest

management/fuels reduction projects. Unit S32a would be a commercial thinning where the 1994

Smith Creek Fire event burned. This unit would continue the thinning that has been done on

Targee/Richards property. Unit S32b would be a Sanitation/Salvage/Release adjacent to the

Ward property. The Ward property has been thinned with surface/ladder fuel reduction. This

unit’s boundary is within 100 feet of structures. Access to the unit would need 6/10th of a mile of

temp road from an existing unimproved road. and a temp stream crossing. Or could be accessed

thought the Targee/Richards property if the land owners agree to it.


4

Treatment units S4a (9 acres), S4b (3 acres) and S4c (20 acres) located to the east of section 5.

These units are adjacent to private land that have done some forest management/fuels reduction

projects and want to continue. There continued efforts would become more viable if efforts were

done on the National Forest. Units S4a and S4b would be a Sanitation/Salvage/Liberation. Unit

S4c would be a Sanitation/Salvage/Pre Commercial Thin (PCT). Access to the units would need

4/10th of a mile of temp road from an existing unimproved road.


5

I suggest the project area boundary include private land due to the private land is a primary

reason the project is in this area.

This area is identified in the Meagher County Wildfire Protection Plan “MC CWPP” 2014 as one

of the highest priority for fuels reduction projects in Meagher County. The issue of evacuation

routes was also identified in the MC CWPP as a high priority for this area. Road FS # 992 needs

to be improved from a structural and drainage stand point. Fuels mitigation and tree hazard work

needs to be done adjacent to this road.

Please take these comments and suggestions in to account as we work together in a collaborative

effort to do what’s right on this piece of National Forest.

Jess Secrest

Secrest Fire Solutions

Jess Secrest

PO Box 697

White Sulphur Springs

MT 59645

PH 406-799-4576

Email [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


6

secrest fire smith shields forest health sfs response letter 8...

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