5. Alamitos SSC_Attachment1_FirePlan_12363N26Q4203.pdf

Alamitos Stewardship SC

Carson National Forest Camino Real Ranger District

Attachment 1 – Fire Plan Carson National Forest/Camino Real Ranger District

Alamitos Stewardship SC

Industrial Fire plan

Contractor will restrict operations in accordance with the following Emergency Fire Precaution Schedule. When there is a predicted change, Forest Service shall inform the Contractor by 6:00 pm, Mountain Standard Time (7:00 pm MDT), of the predicted change in the Industrial Fire Precaution Plan. The procedure for the Forest Service to notify the Contractor of a change shall be stated in the contract fire plan. The Contracting Officer may, after consultation with the Forest Supervisor, adjust the predicted Industrial Fire Precaution Plan for local weather conditions on Sale Area. Changes in the predicted Industrial Fire Precaution Plan shall be agreed to in writing.

EMERGENCY FIRE PRECAUTION SCHEDULE

FIRE RESTRICTION/CLOSURE “STAGE”

“STAGED” RESTRICTION LEVELS INDUSTRIAL FIRE RECAUTION

PLAN

NO RESTRICTIONS A

STAGE I B

STAGE II C

STAGE III (PARTIAL FOREST

CLOSURE) **

C or D

STAGE IV (TOTAL FOREST CLOSURE) D

RED FLAG WARNING

(Issued by National Weather Service)

D

** Partial Forest Closure: Contract areas which are outside the boundaries of the partial forest closure may continue to operate under Industrial Fire Precaution Plan “C” operating criteria as agreed upon between the CO and Contractor in writing. Contract 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 Line Officer in conjunction with Fire Management Officer(s) and Contracting Officer(s). The process is a mix of quantitative and subjective measures which allows Line Officers a broad level of discretion considering local conditions and issues when deciding to implement fire restrictions and/or area closures.

Industrial Fire Precaution Plan – Description

A - Normal Fire Precautions: No fire guard required.

B - Normal Fire Precautions except designated areas for smoking and warming or cooking fires require a written permit. Contractor will provide fire guard.

C - All power saws and mechanical fellers except for mechanical fellers equipped with hydraulic shears will shut down from 9:00 am until 8:00 pm Mountain Standard Time (10:00 am to 9:00 pm MDT), except chainsaws may be used from 9:00 am until 2:00 pm Mountain

Standard Time (10:00 am to 3:00 pm MDT), for limbing on landings cleared to mineral soil.

Loading is authorized to continue from 12:00 noon until 2:00 pm, Mountain Standard Time (1:00 pm to 3:00 pm MDT), on landings cleared to mineral soil. Product removal vehicles must be out of the Sale Area to a surfaced road by 2:00 pm, Mountain Standard Time (3:00 pm MDT).

Shutdown from 12:00 noon until 8:00 pm Mountain Standard Time (1:00 pm to 9:00 pm MDT);

all machine treatment of slash; mechanical equipment used for shearing, bunching, or delimbing;

skidding; cable yarding; 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. No smoking, warming or cooking fires are permitted at any time. Contractor will provide fire guard.

D - Shutdown all operations; except operations on mineral soil involving road excavation, watering, grading, gravel surfacing, and rock crushing may continue with special Forest Service permit. Contractor will provide fire guard.

Fire Precautions and Control

Contractor shall provide the personnel, tools and equipment to take the following precautionary measures:

Smoking and Lunch Fire Restrictions: Contractor shall prohibit smoking and building of camp and lunch fires by persons engaged in Contractor’s operations, except at established camps or in areas that Forest Service may designate. Smoking may be permitted at these designated areas only after all flammable material has been cleared to mineral soil. All fires and smoking materials shall be completely extinguished at end of lunch or smoking period.

Fire Tools: Contractor shall furnish and maintain; i.e., cutting edges sharp, handles sanded and tightly fitted, clean of rust and foreign material; fires tools to be used only for suppressing forest fires. Each logging operation shall be provided with one firefighting tool per man to equip 100 percent of the personnel engaged in Contractor’s operations. Approved firefighting tools are:

double-bit axe; brushhook; pulaski; McLeod; and round-pointed, size 0 or larger lady shovel.

The proper tool mix will be stipulated in the contract Fire Plan. These tools are required separate from, and in addition to, the tools required in the section, "Fire Tools on Equipment," and for Fire Guards. Fire tools for firefighting purposes for use of personnel engaged in all phases of the logging operations shall be located in the active operating area of the sale or as stated in the fire plan.

Burning of Refuse: No camp refuse of slash or other debris, such as that resulting from clearing around camps or on right-of-way, shall be burned without the written consent of the Forest Service.

Spark Arresters and Mufflers: 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 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.

(d) A heavy duty truck, such as a dump or log 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.

Powersaws: During periods of use, each powersaw operator shall have readily available for use one long-handled round-pointed shovel and one chemical-pressurized 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. Any fueling or refueling of a powersaw shall be done in an area which has been cleared of material which will carry fire. Powersaws shall be moved at least 10 feet from the place of fueling or refueling before starting.

Fire Tools on Equipment: Each internal combustion fuel carrying truck, loader, skidder, heavy truck, and tractor shall be provided with one long-handled round-pointed shovel, and one 5-pound capacity ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher. Passenger carrying vehicles, including light pickup trucks shall be equipped with one (1) long-handled round-pointed shovel and one (1) ABC chemical fire extinguisher not less than 2 1/2 pounds capacity. Shovels and fire extinguishers shall be so mounted as to be readily reached from the ground.

Inspection Requirements for Internal-Combustion Engines: Each internal-Combustion motor vehicle or item of equipment shall be inspected and approved in advance of use by Forest Service. Contractor shall require that all persons engaged in Contractor’s operations submit all internal-combustion motors and equipment for inspection and approval prior to use in Contractor’s operations on National Forest lands. Vehicles and equipment not approved for use shall be repaired to meet existing standards, reinspected, and approved by Forest Service prior to use.

Blasting: Use of fuses in blasting shall not be permitted. A long-handled round-pointed shovel and 5-gallon backpack pump with attached handpump filled with water shall be available at all times. During periods when Fire Precaution Plan B or C is in effect, a fire guard shall remain on duty for at least one hour after blasting is finished and shall be equipped with a shovel and backpack. Blasting is prohibited under Fire Precaution Plan D.

Tractor Lights: All crawler tractors and rubber-tired skidders suitable for fire suppression work, and with power source, shall be equipped with two (2) factory type headlights and one (1) backup light, or brackets mounted for portable self-contained battery operated lights. These portable lights shall be furnished and maintained by the Contractor at a location agreed by the Forest Service.

Cable Yarding: Tail and corner blocks shall be located to prevent cables from rubbing against trees, snags, and down logs. Areas adjacent to tail and corner blocks shall be cleared of flammable material within a 5-foot radius. One 5-gallon standard backpack water container (filled at all times and with handpump attached), one shovel, and one pulaski, shall be maintained within 10 feet of each block.

Gas and Oil Storage and Service Areas: The location of equipment service areas and gas and oil storage areas shall be approved in writing by Contracting Officer. All areas shall be cleared of brush, litter, grass or other flammable debris for a radius of 50 feet.

Welding: An area within a 10 foot radius shall be cleared down to mineral soil before welding operations are started. Prior to welding, Contractor shall have available a round-pointed long-handled shovel, a 5-gallon backpack pump filled with water with attached hand pump, and a 5-pound fire extinguisher at each welding site. A fire guard will remain on duty for at least one (1) hour after welding is completed during periods when Fire Precaution Plan B or C is in effect.

Welding is prohibited under Fire Precaution Plan D.

Fire Guards: Contractor shall designate at least one representative to train and supervise each woods-working group of men in fire prevention, detection, and suppression. Each such representative shall be named in the fire plan. To prevent, detect, and suppress fire, Contractor shall provide a trained fire guard at each operating area where power-driven equipment has been operated during the day. The fire guards shall constantly perform their duties during operating hours and for three (3) hours after the woodswork stops for the day, when the Fire Precaution Plan is Plan B, C, or D. Fire guard service 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. Each fire guard shall be physically able, vigilant, and trained to prevent, detect, and report any fires and to promptly and efficiently take suppression action with available required firefighting equipment and men on any fire that starts on project area. Each fire guard shall be equipped with a vehicle and a fire tool cache consisting of a cache box, 2 four-to-five gallon backpack pumps filled with water, 2 size 0 shovels, 2 Pulaskis, and 2 McLeod tools maintained in serviceable condition.

RED FLAG EVENTS

A “Red Flag Event” by definition, is a combination of environmental factors that can lead to extreme wildland fire behavior. The criteria for a Red Flag Event include a combination of sustained high winds, low relative humidity, and dry fuels. The thresholds for Red Flag Events are established by the local National Weather Service office. Red Flag Events are categorized in the following order:

• FIRE WEATHER WATCH is issued to alert the possibility of the development of conditions that would lead to a Red Flag Alert.

• RED FLAG WARNING is issued to warn of a predicted, impending or ongoing event that will meet the criteria of a Red Flag Alert within the next 24 hour period. This warning will generally precede a full alert.

• RED FLAG ALERT is the most critical stage and implemented when conditions are extreme

When a Red Flag Alert is issued by the National Weather Service, all authorized user operations will adhere to Industrial Fire Precaution Plan “D” and will shut down operations until the Red Flag Alert is rescinded.