Fire-adapted Landscapes And Safe Homes (FLASH) Program
The Pinebrook Fire Safety Committee (PFSC) is excited to announce being awarded a another Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative (WRI) grant for Pinebrook residents. This grant provides partial reimbursement to property owner for costs of creating defensible space within the home ignition zone using Firewise Landscaping concepts! As part of the grant, and in support of the shared responsibility of developing a Fire Adapted Community, a matching contribution is required of the property owner. Completion of an application will notify the PFSC of one’s interest in participating in Pinebrook’s FLASH Program. As a participant, you will be preparing for wildfire by reducing hazardous vegetation around your home and/or from other strategic locations on your property.
PROGRAM TIMELINE
20 MAY 2023 – UTAH WATERSHED RESTORATION INITIATIVE GRANT AWARDED
1 FEBRUARY 2024 – PROPERTY OWNER APPLICATION PROCESS OPENS
31 MAY 2024 – PROPERTY OWNER APPLICATION PROCESS CLOSES
1 FEBRUARY – 31 MAY 2024 – PFSC REVIEWS APPLICATIONS
- On a first come first served basis
- Invoicing to the State for reimbursement to property owners planned to occur periodically as property owners submit Project Completion Form.
1 FEBRUARY – 31 MAY 2024 – APPLICANTS NOTIFIED OF RESPECTIVE AWARDS BY PFSC
10 JUNE 2024 – PROPERTY OWNERS MUST SUBMIT PROJECT COMPLETION FORM AND PROVIDE ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION
15 JUNE 2024 – FINAL REPORT DUE TO WRI PROJECT MANAGER
- Final invoicing of Utah WRI by Pinebrook Master Association
APPLICATION PROCESS & PROGRAM STEPS
- Property Owner completes FLASH application
- Google Forms is the preferred method of application. Use this link.
- Alternative methods include digital or paper form to be emailed or mailed to the PFSC as indicated in the form. The form can be downloaded via this link.
- Must provide two quotes from reputable service providers for work to be completed on property. A list of known service providers can be found here.
- If costs seem out of line with similar properties, PFSC can request property owner obtain a third bid from a mutually acceptable service provider.
- Provide at least two “pre-treatment” photos of areas to be worked.
- Limited technical guidance can be provided by the PFSC for identification of fuels management work and completion of application process.
- PFSC reviews and ranks applications (see the Program Requirements & Evaluation Criteria below for ranking information)
- Property owner agrees to allow the PFSC to enter property to evaluate proposal.
- PFSC advises applicants of awards
- Project number assigned for project tracking.
- Actual award amount will be dependent on total amount of awards requested, subject to the following:
- Minimum property owner contribution will be 25% of such property owner’s total project cost, but a higher required property owner contribution is likely given expected demand and the fixed amount of funds available.
- Maximum award amount for any Property owner will be $7,500.
- Higher ranked projects are likely to receive higher relative funding amounts or be required to provide a lower matching amount (see section 4 in the Program Requirements & Evaluation Criteria below for additional information).
- Any Application that proposes a project that supports defensible space concepts shall receive an award of at least the lower of (a) $250 or (b) 25% of the project cost.
- Property owners shall notify Pinebrook Fire Safety Committee two days in advance of scheduled work as the Fire Safety Committee is allowed to inspect work.
- Pinebrook Fire Safety Committee will be allowed to place a sign upon property during project and one week following to raise awareness of the beneficial work being done and the grant program that helps enable it.
- Property owners are expected to pay service providers for the full cost of the work on their property in advance of reimbursement process
- Property owner’s award will be paid to property owner within 90 days after the PFSC has received all items required in the Project Completion Form (see section 4 immediately below).
- Services performed for a property owner after 1 July 2022 but before a grant is awarded may be eligible for reimbursement, but no guarantees are made that any project work performed prior to application approval will receive an award.
- The PFSC may hold some funds back for the second and third rounds of funding based upon applications received.
- Each Property owner shall be required to submit a Project Completion Form including required attachments within 15 days after work is completed. The form can be accessed via this link. Alternatively, the form can be downloaded via this link. The required attachments include:
- Invoice from the service provider and evidence that the service provider was paid.
- Two post-treatment photos of the fuels treatments referencing project tracking number.
- Statement of work completed including any property owner contributions and/or any in-kind services.
- Property owner agrees to allow the Pinebrook Fire Safety Committee to enter property to inspect completed work
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS & EVALUATION CRITERIA
- Property must be located within the Pinebrook neighborhood.
- Property owner is responsible for completion of work and payment of service provider prior to reimbursement.
- PFSC has list of known service providers, but does not recommend specific service providers. The list can be found at this link.
- PFSC strongly encourages that your selected service provider is licensed, insured and bonded for the work they will be performing.
- Neither Pinebrook Master Association, nor any member associations, shall have any liability for any damages caused by any service provider, nor for any damages or injuries resulting from property owners doing in-kind work.
- Applications will be evaluated and ranked for prioritization of funding
- Fire risk analysis of applicant property will provide initial ranking criteria
- 1 point for vegetation exhibiting 4-10 foot flame lengths,
- 2 points for vegetation exhibiting greater than 11 foot flame lengths.
- Applicant properties that are adjacent to other applicant properties
- 1 point for each adjacent private property application (to a maximum of 2 points).
- Applicant properties that are adjacent to open space that has or will be treated
- 1 point
- Fire risk analysis of applicant property will provide initial ranking criteria
- Work is intended to support defensible space concepts around homes and across the Pinebrook neighborhood and includes:
- Tree thinning
- Ground-based tree trimming (removal of ladder fuels)
- Brush removal
- Disposal of biomass (i.e. Chipping, firewood, off site removal, pile burning)
- Services will NOT include:
- trash removal,
- weeding and mowing,
- moving wood piles,
- landscaping,
- removal of large root systems or other ground-disturbing work, or site preparation for new construction