Post-burn image by Pokagon Band of Potawatomi
9:00am-11:00am (EST) via Zoom
Attendees: Joe Fischer, Fischer insurance; Dave Borneman – City of Ann Arbor; Bruce Miller – The Nature Conservancy; Lee Osterland – MDNR; Michael Hahn – City of Ann Arbor, Kyle Martin – Kalamazoo Nature Center; Steve Woods – Huron Pines; Kevin Reese - Huron Manistee National Forest; Makhayla LaButte – MUCC; Amy Frye – USDA-NRCS; Jarod Reibel – Edward Lowe Foundation; Laura Judge – Lenawee CD; Glenn Palmgren – MDNR; Jack McGowan-Stinski – LSFC; Craig Maier – TPOS; Nathan McNett - Lenawee County NRCS; Vic Bogosian – Pokagon Band of Potawatomi; Stephanie Diep – Kalamazoo Nature Center; John Fomusa – North Country Trail Association; Mark Marshall – Michigan State Fireman’s Association; Nathan McNett – NRCS; Michele Richards – MIARNG
Burning Issues 2022 Subcommittee (Andy Vander Yacht)
Scheduled: Tues/Wed Feb 1 & 2, 2021 (9am-12pm EST) Fully Virtual
BI planning committee met a couple times. Despite attempts at a hybrid model, it was decided on Burning Issues for a two morning, virtual only format (following last year’s model) given the COVID situation in Michigan and Omicron variant. $25 registration cost. Maybe we go with $35 to get the sticker swag and speaker gifts postage. One speaker and a panel on the Brittle Fire (Kevin?), and then a similarly interactive discussion on CPBM and Burning Association, a growing season burning season, and Jennifer Dickson from MDNR will do a smoke management presentation. Need more people and roles for the event, such as moderate a session. Andy will take any help anyone can offer. Glenn Palmgren is willing to moderate a session.
Slideshow during breaks where we preload a bunch of commercials, like MDNR cool things done with fire, our merchandise, etc. KNC volunteer program slide, committee options, etc.
Set up a bank account so we can get registration set up.
HP and Ed Lowe Foundation have OWL cameras that move to the person speaking and make hybrid meetings more fluid. Something to consider for future events.
Training and Capacity Subcommittee (Steve Woods)
The training and capacity subcommittee is moving forward on a few different things on parallel tracks and having good conversations with external partners as well. Zach Prusek formerly TNC fire manager in FL, now with Tall Timbers, has funding to help with promoting coordination of fire councils in NE and MW. Reps from each of the fire councils are trying to figure out ways how to learn from each other and collaborate where it makes sense, and share experiences in how to promote Rx fire through councils across the region. Michele Richards and Jack McGowan-Stinski are representing MI PFC at those meetings. Exploring opportunities for students to volunteer on Rx fire. Breaking down barriers to Rx fire.
Need to determine rules of MI PFC sponsored/advertised trainings/certifications and have clear communication if it is NWCG certified. If MI PFC is offering trainings, we need to have enough lead time to plan them and make them happen with proper promotion, content and instruction.
Huron Pines submitted the landscape scale restoration grant.
Michele Richards (TREX update)
The Ember Alliance is the lead org. Two-week-long training camp to sign off task books planning on late summer (Sept-Aug) 2022 at Fort Custer and 2024 at Camp Grayling. Need to finish org chart for positions. Who needs to be trained and what kind of training? Can be both trainee and trainer at same event.
Need shapefile of burn units (private or public more than 1 acre) within an hour of Fort Custer in Augusta, MI to put on a map. Need to mobilize crews and borrow equipment from many places.Clinton County Conservation District, MACD ask in general, Kevin Reese has some units, TNC, MSU, KNC, MNA, Dave has some private lands unit. MSU, City of Ann Arbor, FCTC could make equipment available.
Steve is playing a significant role so that hopefully we can do TREX independently here in Michigan in the future. Working on the number of people we can accommodate. Depends on attendee numbers, cadre size, and burn units available. Potentially 2-3 crews of 12-20 people.
Prefer to have people there for the whole thing. Might be an option to have first half attendees, second half attendees if one org has a few people that could attend each week.
Craig Maier (tpos.firescience@gmail.com): opportunity for fire science training methods
Soft launch of fire science training methods, March 14-18 in NW Missouri.
Emphasis is to get people trained up in collecting fire weather, fuels and fire behavior data to help bolster fire science in the area to feed future research. Target audience is graduate students, but also open to agency folks if they’re interested in this. MO and IA chapters of TNC is leading, Devin McGranahan with USDA Ag Research Service is training, too. Mini- trex as well. Classroom mornings and field squads in afternoons. Complete FFT2 online prior and come one day early for field/pack test. www.tposfirescience.org/fire-sci-methods-workshop/ (registration opens in a week, travel reimbursement may be available)
Andy Vander Yacht/Michele Richards (University Training Capacity):
January at Fort Custer S-130/S-190 and Fire Science Training in the planning
Forestry program is growing, 43 students in entry-level course right now. All MSU profs are all in agreement with expanding the availability of their S130/190 to non-MSU students. Maybe smaller schools, programs, NGOs can pool resources to have a fire academy at Fort Custer Training Center (FCTC). Looking at standing up a fuller scale “fire academy” at FCTC, and maybe at Camp Grayling and one of MSU forest stations in Escanaba.
Kevin Reese and Lee Osterland say US Forest Service and DNR open to helping with trainings as long as there is availability and interest, yes for collaboration when approached, geographically northern MI has less opportunities/requests. Try to open them up to anyone who is interested, including VFDs. Timing is everything for MDNR. Have provided lots of instructors for universities, and sometimes even equipment.
Kevin Reese (Grants) see grant opportunities
Federal granting opportunity covers these three things that fit within the cohesive strategy: Wildfire Risk Reduction –fuels reduction in WUI. Wildland Fire preparedness – money for equipment, and other items, training, etc. Grease the skids to different land ownerships. Strategic fuel breaks, reintroduction of fire for endangered species, etc. Please apply and share if you have projects in mind.
Education and Outreach Subcommittee (Stephanie Diep)
One large outreach to target private landowners and the public, partnering with Pierce Cedar Creek Institute with a demo burn, in the planning process. White Oak Initiative funding is supporting this. Use this event as model for 10 smaller events within two years. Mike Smalligan wrote this grant through MDNR. Promote oak regeneration and rx fire as a method of promoting oaks in the landscape. Includes extension oriented videos, Jesse Randall at Forestry Innovation Center in Escanaba will be making those.
Merchandise (Stephanie Diep info@firecouncil.org)
MERCH! Pre-order closes on 8 Dec. Products will be available mid-January once orders are completed. Money due at that time because shipping costs will vary. Please have people share the link with their organizations.
Link to pre-order now on our website. This merchandise page will be set up for an online store through Square (free set up, minimal transaction fees) for merchandise stocks (t-shirts and ballcaps) after pre-order closes so that people can have access to merchandise whenever! Also the possibility of having a “Donate” option to deposit directly into the MI PFC bank account. Need to watch that annual revenue is not over the tax-exemption amount.
Next Meeting: February 22nd, last Tuesday of every third month
Fire history field trip moved to next agenda (Jack McGowan-Stinski)
