Michigan Prescribed Fire Council
Steering Committee Meeting Agenda
9-11 AM Eastern, May 24th, 2022
Image by Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
Notetaker: Michele Richards
Agenda Additions? No
ATTENDEES: Andy VanderYacht, MSU, Chair; Stephanie Diep, KNC, Admin/treasurer; Michael Hahn, City of Ann Arbor; Bruce Miller, TNC; Bill Litz; Marc Marshall, MI State Firemen’s Association; Amy Frey, NRCS (UP); Jarod Reibel, Ed Lowe Foundation; Steve Richardson, MIARNG; Laura Judge, Farm Bill Biologist; Craig Maier, TPOS; John Fomusa; Michele Richards, FCTC; Mary Parr, Pierce Cedar Creek Institute; Todd Aschenbach, GVSU
Next Steering Meetings are May 24th, August 23rd, November 22nd, February 28th Moving away from the language of “n” day of “n” month to setting dates for each year to be clearly scheduled.
New Chair and Vice Chair Needed
Andy Vander Yacht is leaving Michigan for a new position at a university out of state. Andy is grateful for the Council for all the assistance in teaching his courses. We need nominations for vice chair and chair see survey for anonymous nomination of yourself or others. Review submissions and vote at next meeting or virtually.
MPFC Finance Updates and Discussion
General overview of account & expenses YTD – Stephanie discussed finances. Current account total is $11,651.12. Money from the PNC account was successfully transferred to the new LMCU account. Michele Richards and Stephanie Diep are the only ones with access to the LMCU account set up under the MPFC. Income from pre-orders on merch was 126.24 from this FY so far. Postage expense for mailing, and admin buying checks for bank account. $15 for first learn and burn so far with expected $300 for the event (snacks, printing brochures) to be reimbursed by White Oak Grant ($8,000).
FY22 Quarter 1 Summary
Discuss funding for Admin Position: currently funded under a contract between KNC and a partner but funding is slim to continue supporting admin time for MPFC. Move MPFC admin cost to MPFC funds. Admin provides critical support for running the council, Steph’s position in KNC could also support a SW MI fire collaborative, both new and long term council members testify to Steph’s great support over the past two years. Need more MPFC income to support Stephanie’s work in MPFC.
Admin cost $55/hour. FY20-21 cost about $13,000 in admin time.
Option 1: 1 hour per week to manage and send emails only ~$3,000 annually
Option 2: 4 hours per week to manage emails, social media content, merchandise orders, website content, and subcommittee leadership and event planning/registration set-up ~$8,000 annually
Last few years total revenue at profit for MI PFC has been $2,000-$4,000 annually from Burning Issues and S-130/S-190 Trainings.
Funding Ideas:
Trainings could shore up our earnings to more robustly support Stephanie’s work with MPFC.
Sponsorship model is a great way to get things stepped up. Stephanie attended very informative forum about Alabama Fire Council funding model and Illinois regional rxfire mapping. Can view recording and sources at:
Grants for prescribed burning collaborative is another.
Burning Issues back to what it was will increase the income, as well.
Learn and Burns are also great opportunities.
Shoot for the higher budget and find a way to get there. Tons of resources that could be chased that could be to support Stephanie’s role. Get the partners for a grant together for a discussion. Stephanie will talk to KNC Development Person to keep eye out for possible grants. Human dimensions grant could be thrown in here. Maybe we make a small group for this, too. Southern MI prescribed burning association sounds like the umbrella we could put all of the ideas and needs.
TRAINING, CERTIFICATION, AND CAPACITY Subcommittee Report
Chair: Steve Woods (not in attendance)
Michele Richards reports: Steve Woods developed questions to guide the priorities in Michigan for rxfire, to be discussed in the next subcommittee meeting, MPFC training committee to lead MI TREX planning for July 2023
Minnesota TREX was cancelled this year because of two feet of snowpack and 24” of ice on the lake when it was scheduled.
GVSUs S130/190 – scheduled to teach it at Ed Lowe 25-29 July, other agency folks have joined on the trainings and they are comped. Cost for course is $325. Cheap from an agency perspective. Non-students could charge $500 for an agency….Ed Lowe could potentially help with that. 1-3 agency/NGO folks in the class. March he will be teaching S-290 course. How much space for expansion? 30 housing units.
Training committee needs to talk about the CPBM and additional 130/190 info. The real benefit of the Council is to be aware of the things that various parts of the Council are doing. Kenneth Hoganson is trying to make a prescribed burn association. Will need to talk about what role MPFC can do to play a part in it.
People want to learn more about prescribed fire. PCCI is talking about risk and liability while they do a program to teach about fire. Conservation Districts could be a great resource for growing private lands fire.
Can the council write fire plans? Or do burn plan writing for land owners with some set of expertise with a group for a person without signing them? Could be a way to educate landowners in a legitimate way. Understudies could pay for the learning experience, too.
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH Subcommittee Report
Chair: Stephanie Diep
Learn and Burn 1-5pm on 4 June at PCCI. Booths and tables and snacks. Aimed toward public – not a training, but to get people interested in fire. If people are interested in volunteering, Stephanie needs help at a welcome table and MPFC booth.
MPFC reimbursement of travel costs for 2 field trip leaders LSFSC Fire History Field Trip and LSR Proposal (Jack McGowan-Stinski) ~$2,000 to be reimbursed from White Oak grant. Mike Smalligan had no concerns about using White Oak Grant funding for this. Focuses on red pine ecosystems still speaks to oak fire history. Some input on that it’s regional and has big players so it’s a good thing. Event restricted to 30 people, but 30 influencers getting a good message on the fire history to them is valuable. VOTE: Stephanie Diep motioned and Todd Aschenbach seconded supporting the travel costs, no opposition to funding it. Unanimous Pass for Approval.
BURNING ISSUES 2022 PLANNING COMMITTEE Subcommittee Report
Need new subcommittee chair (usually the MPFC Chair fills this role) and participants.
Email info@firecouncil.org if you would like to join the planning team for BI 2023.
Other Rx Fire Network Happenings
NE and Midwest Regional Fire Council putting together a prescribed fire guidebook for the NE/Midwest region.
Robert Johnston from Conservation United has a new insurance product and link is in our website Resources>Helpful Links>Liability. View Direct Source Here: Prescribed Fire Insurance – Conservation United Conservation United–Nonprofit Insurance Conservation United (conservationinsurance.com)
Fueling Collaboration new panel series is coming out. Fueling Collaboration Panel Discussion Series
Brittle Fire Incident Report is out in full. VIEW HERE: Brittle Escaped Prescribed Fire (2021) - Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center (wildfirelessons.net)
