Fire_Plan_(Sandia_Treatments)_(4-17-18).pdf

FIRE PLAN

The contractor shall be responsible for the cost of suppressing all fires caused by his operation, and for all damage to any property of the USDA Forest Service or third parties. The USDA Forest Service reserves the right to participate in extinguishing any fires caused by the Contractor’s operations and the Contractor shall reimburse the USDA Forest Service for the cost of all suppression activities ordered or directed by the USDA Forest Service. The following requirements are a part of this solicitation and any resultant contract.

1. Fire Prevention – During periods of contract performance, fire requirements shall be met by the contractor.

2. Execution of Fire Plan

a. Forest Service personnel involved will, in all cases, coordinate through the Contracting Officer’s

Representative (COR) or Contracting Officer’s Representative’s Inspector (CORI) except in cases of emergency or Forest closure.

b. The Contractor shall designate a fire plan representative who shall be responsible for executing and carrying out the fire requirements.

c. The Contractor shall include the fire requirements in all subcontracts.

d. The Contractor shall assure that all contract employees are informed of the existence and conditions of the fire requirements.

3. Compliance Inspection

a. Inspection by the Forest Service will be made to insure compliance with the fire requirements.

b. Should any deficiencies appear during the inspection, the Contractor will be informed and the deficiencies shall be corrected within 24 hours. Activities with the potential to start fires shall be halted until the deficiencies are corrected and the corrections approved by the COR.

c. The Contractor’s fire plan representative shall make daily inspections to insure that the terms of the fire requirements are met at all times.

4. Fire Pre-suppression Requirements

a. Communications

i. The Contractor shall ensure a serviceable telephone, radio-telephone or radio communication system is available to provide prompt and reliable communications between the Contractor’s operations and the Forest Service in the event of a wildland fire ignition.

b. Fire Toolbox

i. During contract performance, the Contractor shall furnish and maintain, in good working order, at the Contractor’s expense, one fire toolbox at the campsite or some central location, as long as it is within ¼ mile of the location where the contractor is currently performing work.

ii. The fire toolbox is to be maintained with tools in good working condition. The Equipment is for the sole purpose of firefighting. There shall be one tool per person to equip all personnel engaged in the Contractor’s operations. Approved firefighting tools may include the following: Pulaski tool, McLeod tool, long handled shove.

iii. The fire toolbox shall be replenished by the Contractor after each incidence of fire use.

c. Work Hours

The contractor shall restrict operations in accordance with the following emergency fire precaution schedule unless the COR waives the requirement in writing. Each day of operation when there is a predicted change in the fire precaution plan, the Forest Service will inform the contractor between 3 and 6 p.m. MST (4 and 7 p.m. MDT) the day prior. Notification will be made of the alphabetical industrial fire precaution plan (Exhibit 1) to be followed the next day within the local operating area. No later than 9 a.m. MST (10 a.m. MDT) the following day, the Forest Service will inform the contractor of any change in the fire precaution schedule.

d. Burning of Refuse No slash or other debris shall be burned without the written consent of the Forest Service.

e. Blasting Use of fuses in blasting shall not be permitted. A long-handled round-pointed shovel and at least five gallons of water for firefighting 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.

f. 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 Contractor 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 fire guard must remain on the welding site for a minimum of one hour after welding operations have concluded.

g. Fire Guard To prevent, detect and suppress wildland fire, the Contractor shall provide a fire guard at each operating area where power-driven equipment and tools have been operated during the day. The fire guards 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 Plan “B”, “C”, or “D”.

A fire guard 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 fire guard patrols all area where authorized user’s activities occurred.

Each fire guard 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 project area. Each fire guard shall be equipped with a vehicle and a fire tool cache consisting of a fire toolbox with a complement of fire tools maintained in good and serviceable condition. Approved firefighting tools may include the following: Pulaski tool, McLeod tool, long-handled round-pointed shovel. The fire guard will also carry at least 25 gallons of water for firefighting purposes.

5. Fire Suppression

a. The Contractor shall take independent action on the suppression of all fires in the work area or vicinity. Vicinity is defined as a ¼ mile extension from the operations area boundary.

b. All forest fires shall be reported to the District Ranger’s Office as soon as possible. Even though the fire has been suppressed by the Contractor’s crew, this report is required. The office and telephone number o which fires shall be reported will be furnished to the Contractor prior to the start of contract work.

6. Equipment Requirements

a. Fire Tools On Equipment

i. Passenger carrying vehicles, including light pickup trucks and all-terrain vehicles shall be equipped with on (1) long-handled round-pointed shovel and one (1) ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher not less than 2 ½ pounds capacity.

ii. Each internal combustion fuel carrying piece of equipment (dump truck, dozer, excavator, backhoe, etc.) shall be equipped with one (1) long-handled round-pointed shovel and one (1) 5 pound capacity ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher.

iii. All shovels and fire extinguishers shall be so mounted as to be readily reached from the ground.

b. Powered Hand Tools

i. During periods of use, each powered hand tool operator shall have readily available for use one (1) long-handled round-pointed shovel and one chemical-pressurized ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher of not less than 8-ounce capacity by weight.

ii. The muffler, extinguisher and shovel shall be maintained in good working order at all times.

iii. Fueling or refueling of a powered hand tool shall be done in an area which has been completely cleared of material which will carry fire.

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

c. Spark Arresters and Mufflers

i. 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) 5100-1 a or the latest revision of Society of Automotive Engineers “medium size engine, SAE recommended practice J350” unless it is:

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

2. A multi-position engine, such as power saws purchased after 6/30/77 which must meet the performance levels set forth in the Society of Automotive Engineers “multi-position 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.

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

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

ii. Exhaust equipment described in this Subsection, including spark arresters and mufflers, shall be properly installed and constantly maintained in serviceable condition.

d. Gas and Oil Storage and Service Areas

i. The location of equipment service areas and gas and oil storage areas shall be approved in writing by the CO or COR. All areas shall be cleared of brush, litter, grass or other flammable debris for a radius of 50 feet.

7. Smoking and Fires

a. Smoking

i. No smoking shall be allowed while traveling, except on surfaced highways. A surfaced highway is any road that is oiled, graveled or otherwise paved.

ii. Smoking is not permitted while working. Smoking is only permitted on breaks in areas having a clearing of at least 3 feet in diameter to bare soil.

b. Fires No warming, burning of debris, or cooking fires shall be permitted during periods of high or above fire danger except in designated places or by written permission.

8. Violations

a. Violations of the smoking regulations {36 CFR 261.52(a) (c) (d)} and fire requirement will result in criminal action against the violator. The Contractor shall advise all employees of this regulation.

b. Violation or deficiencies of fire requirements shall result in immediate suspension of operations until the deficiency or violation is corrected. Repetitive violation will be grounds for default termination.

9. Historical Data The following data on the Forest area involved is to be provided for the Contractor’s information. The data will be based on records for the past 10 years.

Total Fire Season – April 1st through September 20th

Average number of days in Plan A – 58 Average number of days in Plan B – 35 Average number of days in Plan C – 10 Average number of days in Plan D – 12

Emergency Fire Precaution Schedule

“Staged” Restriction Levels Industrial Fire Precaution Plan

No Restrictions

Stage I Restrictions

Stage II Restrictions

Partial/Forest Closure

A

B

C

D

Red Flag Warning D

Fire Precaution Plan Description

A Normal fire precautions. No fireguard required except for blasting/welding.

B Contractor will provide a fire guard.

C All power equipment use as well as blasting and welding operations will shut down from 9:00 a.m.

until 8 p.m. MST (10-9 p.m. MDT) of all machine treated slash, blasting, welding, metal cutting, and clearing. Operations on mineral soil involving road excavation, watering, grading, surfacing, rock crushing and/or other equipment maintenance may continue. Contractor will provide a fire guard.

D Shut down all operations, except operations on mineral soil involving road excavation, watering, grading, gravel surfacing and rock crushing may continue with a special Forest Service permit. Blasting and welding are prohibited. Contractor will provide a fire guard.

Partial Forest Closure

Project areas which are outside the boundaries of the partial forest closure may continue to operate under Industrial Fire Precaution Pan “C” operating criteria as agreed upon between the CO or COR and the Contractor in writing.

Project areas within the boundaries of the proclaimed partial forest closure area are to operate under Industrial Fire Precaution Plan “D”.

Staged restriction levels are determined by the appropriate Forest Line Officer in consultation with the Forest Fire Management Officer and CO. The appropriate Forest Line Officer may adjust the predicted Industrial Fire Precaution Plan for local weather conditions within a project area. Changes to the predicted Industrial Fire Precaution Plan shall be agreed to in writing.

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.

A 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, the Contractor’s operations will adhere to Industrial Fire Precaution Plan “D” and will shut down operations until the Red Flag Warning is rescinded.