To encourage interested parties to perform research and studies pertaining to wildland fire and resource management, to develop products and tools for all levels of decision making to meet the objectives of the National Fire Plan, and to seek information to improve decision making in wildland fire management.

In

credit: Wikimedia Commons

addition to generally funded wildland fire research and studies there are two separate research programs; Climate applications with the National Climate Data Center: The purpose of the program is to develop products and tools for wildland fire resource management utilizing the climate data archives of the National Climate Data Centers.

The National Climate Data Center is authorized to describe the climate of the United States.

For example, the Western Regional Climate Center is one of the six regional centers.

Western Regional Climate Center is the archive of interagency fire weather station observations.

The objectives for the National Climate Data Center and its regional centers are to perform basic climate and ecosystem studies pertaining to wildland fire and resource management, to develop climate and ecosystem products and tools for all levels of decision-making.

The Joint Fire Science Program: This program seeks research proposals that respond to its announcements for proposals that seek information on seven critical wildland fire and fuels issues: These issues are: Wildand fuels and inventory mapping; Effects of fuels treatments; Scheduling of fuels treatments; Monitoring and evaluation of fuels treatments; Evaluating post fire stabilization and rehabilitation projects; Aircraft-based remote sensing; and Regional and local offices.

Program accomplishments provided new information and tools to improve decision-making in wildland fire management. Program accomplishments inlcude Climate and Ecosystem studies that benefit fire and resource management programs both directly and through the inherently interagency nature of many of the climate-related projects. Projects have had direct benefit to, among others, fire management, Predictive Services, meteorologists, fuels analysts, intelligence officers, fire behavior analysts, fire specialists, fire planners, resource managers and State and local government leaders. Specific accomplishments include user access to Western Regional Climate Center Remote Automated Weather System data archive through field-requested queries; lightning climatologies; comparisons of drought indices for fire management; operational 15-day fire danger forecasts; operations of an interagency regional modeling facility; model output statistics products; real-time drought assessment for rangelands; and quality-checked, complete Remote Automated Weather System weather data sets for the Fire Program Analysis effort. The Joint Fire Science Program funded projects are helping to improve the overall effectiveness of wildland fire management by providing the scientific information and tools necessary to integrate fire into land and resource management plans and their implementation. Researchers and managers have communicated results and new tools to on-the-ground users through published papers, field trips with managers, participation in workshops and symposia, training sessions, and the development of Web pages for posting current and relevant information, and other technology transfer media.

Uses and Use Restrictions

Funds may be used for approved projects that address wildland fire management needs of federal and local government land managers.

Joint Fire Science Program applicants must clearly identify a federal cooperator.

Successfully awarded projects can only be funded through a federal cooperator.

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Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Anyone/General Public.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Anyone/General Public.

Credentials/Documentation

None.

Aplication and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Coordinate cooperative project proposals with program leaders and the local State or District Officers.

This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.

12372.

Application Procedures

A Standard Form 424, Application for Federal Assistance, Standard Form 424A, Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs, Standard Form 424B, Assurances for Non-Construction Programs, and a written proposal should be submitted through Grants.gov or via hardcopy to the project office and include: a title, objectives, timeframe, a budget breakdown, and any other requirements specified in the funding opportunity announcement. No State Plan is required with this application.

Award Procedures

Projects are reviewed at the National and State level and funding recommendations are made through National and State's annual work plan. Final budget approvals rest with the National Office and State Director. For the Joint Fire Science Program all applications are peer-reviewed. The ten person Joint Fire Science Program Governing Board will analyze peer review comments and make all funding decisions.

Deadlines

The deadline will be published in the Grants.gov announcement. Applications for projects for the Joint Fire Science program will also be posted at www.firescience.gov generally in the fall of each year.

Authorization

Federal Land Policy and Management Act, as amended, Public Law 94-579; The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2005, Division E, Department of the Interior and Related Appropriations Act of 2005, Title I and Title 4, Public Law 108-447. The Joint Fire Science Program authorization is in the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriation Act of 1998, Public Law 106-291 and funded yearly.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Most awards are anticipated within 90 to 180 days or less after the announcement closes.

Appeals

Not applicable.

Renewals

Not applicable.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statuatory formula requirements. However, the applicant's matching funds are encouraged and those projects are more likely to be funded.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

No specific retrictions for most projects, however, most projects are funded on a year to year basis and funds are expended during a particular fiscal year. For the Joint Fire Science Program, projects are generally funded for no more than three years. Most projects funded are awarded in one lump sum at the start of the project; however some projects are occasionally funded year-by-year.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Recipients of funding are required to submit quarterly financial status reports using Standard Form 269, Financial Status Report, and quarterly, semi-annual, or annual performance reports 30 days following the end of the reporting period.

Final performance and financial status reports are due 120 days after the end date of grant performance.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance $500,000 (for fiscal years ending December 1, 2003) or more a year in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 (for fiscal years ending after December 1, 2003) a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records

Records are required to be maintained for three years following submission of the final expenditure report.

Financial Information

Account Identification

14-1125-0-1-302.

Obigations

FY 07 $231,000; FY 08 est $230,000; and FY 09 est $230,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

The previous fiscal year average was about $60,000 and for the Joint Fire Science Program was $350,000.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature

Information about the National Fire Plan can be found at website: http://www.forestsandrangelands.gov/. Western Regional Climate Center reports and publications pertaining to projects and accomplishments are posted on http://cefa.dri.edu. Joint Fire Science information, including announcements for proposals, project information, and literature can be found at website www.firescience.gov/.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

See Catalog Appendix IV for addresses of BLM State Offices.

Headquarters Office

Group Manager, Planning and Resources Group, Bureau of Land Management, Office of Fire and Aviation, 3833 S. Development Ave., Boise, ID 83705. Telephone: (208)387-5153. For the Joint Fire Science Program: Program Manager, Joint Fire Science Program, 3833 S. Development Ave., Boise, ID 83705. Telephone: (208) 387-5349.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

General criteria used to select assistance proposals are based on their direct relationship to federal wildland fire management, qualifications of principal investigator and institution, and a balanced review including relevance to program objectives, merit and cost effectiveness. Joint Fire Science Program proposals will be reviewed for relevancy in relation to the posted announcement for proposals task statement, scientific methods and study design, science deliverables, collaboration/leverage, and administrative adequacy. Successful proposals will provide a strong science delivery and application plan that clearly demonstrates the use of both passive and active technology transfer methods.