170515_Fire Plan Guidelines.docx

CORONADO NATIONAL FOREST

FIRE PRECAUTIONS PLAN

For

CONTRACTORS

PURPOSE

The purpose of these fire precautions is to reduce the risk of human-caused fires starting from a contractor’s operations on the Coronado National Forest. These fire precautions must be followed year around. For the purpose of this plan, contractors include any contractor or subcontractor, and suppliers or service personnel engaged in welding and/or grinding operations under a contract issued by the Coronado National Forest or the Southwestern Regional Office of the U.S. Forest Service for work on Coronado National Forest land.

When operating on Coronado National Forest land, it is incumbent on the contractor to know the current Staged Restriction Level and to take the appropriate fire precautions and actions as outlined in this Plan. The contractor shall also inform any and all of their subordinates (subcontractors, suppliers, service personnel…) of these precautions and actions and ensure that they are complied with. The contractor may contact the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) for clarification on this information.

The contractor shall at all times have a copy of this Plan available. The contractor shall clearly designate, in writing, a fireguard and indicate what actions will be taken should a fire occur, including the process for notifying the Coronado National Forest of that fact.

GENERAL FIRE PRECAUTION MEASURES

COMMUNICATIONS

The contractor shall ensure that a serviceable cell phone, satellite telephone or radio communication system is available to their fireguard to provide prompt and reliable communications between the contractor’s operations and the Coronado National Forest. In the the event of a wildland fire ignition, users shall contact Coronado National Forest Dispatch Office (Tucson) – (520) 202-2700.

FIRE TOOLS ON CONTRACTOR’S EQUIPMENT

Passenger carrying vehicles, including pickup trucks and all-terrain vehicles, shall be equipped with one (1) long-handled round pointed shovel per person carried in the vehicle, and one (1) ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher not less than 2 1/2 pounds capacity per vehicle. Each internal combustion fuel carrying piece of equipment (dump truck, dozer, excavator, backhoe, etc…) shall be equipped with one long-handled round-pointed shovel, and one 5-pound capacity ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher. Shovels and fire extinguishers shall be so mounted or placed in the vehicle as to be visually obvious and readily reached from the ground.

SPARK ARRESTERS AND MUFFLERS

The contractor will ensure that each internal combustion engine shall be equipped with a spark arrester qualified and rated under USDA Forest Service Standard (Spark Arrester Guide) 5100-1a or the latest revision of Society of Automotive Engineers "medium size engine, SAE recommended practice J350" unless it is:

(a) Equipped with a turbine-driven exhaust supercharger such as the turbocharger. There shall be no exhaust bypass.

(b) A multi-position engine, such as on power saws purchased after 6/30/77 which must meet the performance levels set forth in the Society of Automotive Engineers "multi-positioned small engine exhaust fire ignition standard, SAE recommended practice J335B" as now or hereafter amended. Those purchased prior to the above date shall be equipped with an approved spark arrester/muffler containing a 0.023 inch mesh screen in good condition.

(c) A passenger carrying vehicle, light truck, or medium truck up to 40,000 GVW, designed for use on roads, and equipped with a factory designed muffler and an exhaust system in good working condition.

(d) A heavy duty truck, such as a dump truck, or other vehicle used for commercial hauling, used only on roads and equipped with a factory designed muffler and with a vertical stack exhaust system extending above the cab.

Exhaust equipment described in this Subsection, including spark arresters and mufflers, shall be properly installed and constantly maintained in serviceable condition and not modified in any manner.

POWERED HAND TOOLS

During periods of use, each powered handtool operator shall have readily available for use, one long-handled round-pointed shovel and one chemical-pressurized ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher of not less than 8-ounce capacity by weight. Muffler, extinguisher, and shovel shall be maintained in good working order at all times. Fueling or refueling of a powered handtool shall be done in an area which has been completely cleared of material which will carry fire.

Powered hand tools shall be moved at least 10 feet from the place of fueling or refueling before starting.

GAS AND OIL STORAGE AND SERVICE AREAS

The location of equipment service and fueling areas shall be cleared of brush, litter, grass or other flammable debris for a radius of 50 feet or alternatively shall be thoroughly wetted with water immediately prior to equipment being serviced or fueled.

BURNING OF REFUSE

No slash or other debris, such as that resulting from clearing on right-of-way, shall be burned without the written consent of the COR.

BLASTING

Use of fuses in blasting shall not be permitted. A long-handled round-pointed shovel and at least five gallons of water for fire fighting purposes shall be available at all times. A fire guard must remain on the blasting site for a minimum of one hour after blasting operations have concluded.

WELDING

An area of sufficient size but not less than a 10 foot radius shall be cleared down to mineral soil before welding operations are started. Prior to welding, the fireguard shall have available a round-pointed long-handled shovel, at least 5-gallons of water, and a 5-pound fire ABC dry chemical extinguisher at each welding site. A fireguard must remain on the welding site for a minimum of one hour after welding operations have concluded.

STAGED FIRE PRECAUTION LEVELS

FIRE PRECAUTIONS by RESTRICTION / STAGE

NO RESTRICTIONS

STAGE I

STAGE II

PARTIAL or COMPLETE FOREST CLOSURE **

RED FLAG WARNING

(Issued by National Weather Service)

** Partial Forest Closure:

Staged restriction levels are determined by the appropriate Forest Line Officer in consultation with the Forest Fire Management Officer and Permit Administrator. The appropriate Forest Line Officer may adjust the Fire Precaution Level for local weather conditions. Deviations from the Fire Plan shall be agreed to in writing between the contractor and the COR.

STAGED FIRE RESTRICTION LEVELS – DESCRIPTION

The contractor shall conform to the following conditions:

No Restrictions - General Fire Precautions apply: No contractor supplied fireguard required except for welding and blasting operations. Fireguard duration includes one hour after such operations cease.

STAGE I - General Fire Precautions apply plus: Contractor shall provide fireguard. Fireguard duration includes three hours after operations cease.

STAGE II - General Fire Precautions apply plus: All power equipment use as well as blasting and welding operations will shut down from 9:00 am until 8:00 pm Mountain Standard Time. Contractor’s operations on mineral soil involving activities such as road excavation, watering, grading, surfacing, rock crushing, and/or other equipment maintenance may continue. The contractor shall provide fireguard. Fireguard duration includes three hours after operations cease.

Within PARTIAL or COMPLETE FOREST CLOSURE - The contractor shall shutdown all operations except that those operations on mineral soil involving road excavation, watering, grading, gravel surfacing, and rock crushing may continue with special Forest Service permit. Blasting and welding are prohibited. The contractor shall provide fire guard. Fireguard duration includes three hours after operations cease, or as described in special Forest Service permit.

RED FLAG WARNING

A red flag warning is issued when the combination of dry fuels and weather conditions support extreme fire danger. Red flag warnings are issued by the National Weather Service for land and fire managers to highlight the increased fire danger.

· RED FLAG WARNING is issued if conditions are occurring or will occur within the next 24 hours that would support extreme fire danger.

When a Red Flag Warning is issued by the National Weather Service, all the contractor’s operations will adhere to COMPLETE FOREST CLOSURE precautions and will shut down operations until the Red Flag Warning is rescinded.

FIRE GUARDS

To prevent, detect, and suppress wildland fire, the contractor shall provide a fireguard at each work location where power-driven equipment and tools have been operated during the day. The fireguards shall constantly perform their duties during operating hours and for three (3) hours after the work stops for the day, when the Fire Precaution Plan is in Stage I, II or a Partial or Complete Forest Closure is in place for fire protection.

A fireguard on one operating area shall satisfy the requirements on adjacent areas if the travel time with available transportation is not in excess of ten (10) minutes to any of the other areas requiring such service and provided the fireguard patrols all areas where authorized user’s activities occurred.

Each fireguard shall be vigilant, able and prepared to take actions to prevent, detect, and report any wildland fires and to promptly and efficiently take suppression action with available required firefighting equipment and personnel on any wildland fire that starts on the contract area. Each fireguard shall be equipped with a vehicle and a fire tool cache consisting of a cache box with a complement of fire tools maintained in serviceable condition. Approved firefighting tools may include the following: Pulaski; McLeod: long handles round pointed shovel. The fireguard will also carry at least 25 gallons of water for firefighting purposes.