Hazardous Fuels Reduction Grant 2023-2024
2021-2022 Grant is Closing Out
We have completed treatment of 50 acres in accordance with our 2021-2022 Hazardous Fuels Reduction grant agreement. We are appreciative of all community members who participated and made our community safer. There were many more interested property owners in Forest Lakes than we could accommodate with this grant. Those who have expressed interest in the past will have priority for the new 2023-2024 grant.
Grant Funding for 2023-2024 Has Been Approved
Forest Lakes Fire District (FLFD) has received a grant from the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (ADFFM) to assist our property owners with the cost of removing hazardous fuels from their properties according to Firewise standards. This grant covers benefits for 40 1-acre lots. We submitted the 40 early applicant lots and owner names to State Forestry, and they have approved our list.
Owners will receive a 80% reimbursement from FLFD, up to a total of $2800 per acre (80% of $3500 maximum reimbursable cost per 1-acre lot). Then FLFD will be reimbursed through the grant. Please note that it may cost some property owners more than $3500 to treat their property in accordance with Firewise standards. General landscape maintenance such as mowing, regular trimming, or leaf/needle raking does not qualify for reimbursement.
- Example: A property owner arranges with a contractor for a Firewise assessment, and to discuss which trees need to be removed. Then the owner agrees with a contractor to remove the necessary trees for $5000. After the work is completed and approved by FLFD the owner pays the contractor $5000 and submits copies of their invoice and actual payment to FLFD. The owner then receives a check from FLFD for $2800 (80% of the $3500 grant maximum).
The property owners participating in the grant will complete a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU, see below) with FLFD to establish the terms of the agreement. They should then contact one or more contractors to discuss their individual lot assessment and establish fuels reduction plans. Once the individual plan is agreed, each owner will schedule the work with their chosen contractor. Each of the contractors identified below works closely with FLFD personnel to ensure that the tree thinning plan meets Firewise standards and all grant reimbursement requirements.
If you are not on our initial list of 40 property owners, contact john@jnservices.net, and we will put you on our backup list and will contact you if one of the planned owners does not follow through with treating their lot. We will prioritize high-hazard lots. There is a good chance that additional owners will have an opportunity to participate.
Our goal is to have as many Forest Lakes lots as possible meet Firewise standards, which is generally about 70 trees per acre. Grant recipients are expected to maintain properties in future years by trimming shrubs and removing needles or other flammable debris.
Our Green Waste Transfer Station just north of the community is the ideal place to take slash, needles, and logs. See https://flfdaz.com/gwts
Bark beetles are a real threat to the health of the Ponderosa pine trees in Forest Lakes. For details on these beetles and the harm they cause, see the FAQ page at forestlakesaz.com.
The US Forest Service has been working diligently to make our surrounding forests less prone to wildfire. We owe it to them to do our part!
Participating Contractors
Bill’s Landscaping, Bill Morehead, 928-595-1346
Brown's Tree Service, Bill Brown, 928-242-1854
Graeber Tree Service, Chris Graeber, 520-255-8633, graebertreeservice@gmail.com
RIM Outdoor Solutions, Taber Heisler, 928-940-2099, rimstumpgrinder@gmail.com
Owners may choose other contractors as well, but those contractors should coordinate with FLFD prior to starting work.
Goals
The Hazardous Fuels Reduction initiative is geared to Firewise standards. The goal is for each 1-acre parcel to have no more than 70 to 80 trees, spaced as shown in the figure below.
