APPENDIX_1,_Fire_Plan_for_Line_Clearing.docx

APPENDIX 1

FIRE PLAN FOR SURVEY LINE CLEARING

1. SCOPE:

a. The provisions set forth below outline the responsibility for fire prevention and suppression activities and establish a suppression plan for fires associated with contractor work. The provisions set forth below also specify conditions under which Contractor activities will be curtailed or shut down.

2. RESPONSIBILITIES:

a. Contractor

i. Shall abide by the requirements of this Fire Plan.

ii. Shall take all steps necessary to prevent his/her employees, sub-contractors and their employees from setting fires not required in completion of the agreement, shall be responsible for preventing the escape of fires set directly or indirectly as a result of Contractor operations, and shall extinguish all such fires.

iii. Shall permit and assist in periodic testing and inspection of required fire equipment. Contractor shall certify compliance with specific fire precautionary measures in the fire plan, before beginning operations during Fire Precautionary Period and shall update such certification when operations change.

iv. Shall designate in the Fire Plan and furnish on SPA Area, during operating hours, a fire supervisor authorized to act on behalf of the Contractor in fire prevention and suppression matters.

b. Forest Service

i. The Forest Service may conduct one or more inspections for compliance with the Fire Plan. The number, timing, and scope of such inspections will be at the discretion of agency employees responsible for agreement administration. Such inspections do not relieve the Contractor of responsibility for correcting violations of the fire plan or for fire safety in general, as outlined in paragraph 2.A above.

3. DEFINITIONS:

The following definitions shall apply:

a. Chainsaw Operations: The process of felling, trimming, or bucking trees or brush with electric or gas-powered chainsaws.

b. Hand Clearing Operations: The process of felling, trimming, or bucking trees or brush with hand saws or loppers.

4. TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT:

The Contractor shall comply with the following requirements during the fire precautionary period:

The Fire Precautionary Period is set by the State of California which is April 1 through December 1 of any year.

a. Fire Tools and Equipment:

Trucks, pickups and other similar mobile equipment shall be equipped with and carry at all times a size 0 or larger shovel with an overall length of not less than 46 inches, at least one 2.5lb fire extinguisher and a 5-gallon wildland fire pump.

b. Fire Extinguishers:

All Fire Extinguishers shall be mounted, readily accessible, properly maintained and fully charged.

c. Spark Arresters and Mufflers:

Every motor vehicle subject to registration shall at all times be equipped with an adequate exhaust system meeting the requirements of the California Vehicle Code.

d. Chain Saws:

Each chain saw shall be equipped with a spark arrester approved according to C.P.R.C. Section 4442 or 4443 and shall be maintained in effective working order. An Underwriters Laboratories (UL) approved fire extinguisher containing a minimum 14 ounces of fire retardant shall be kept with each operating chain saw (gas or electric). In addition, a size 0 or larger shovel with an overall length of not less than 38 inches shall be kept with each gas can but not more than 300 feet from each chain saw (gas or electric).

5. GENERAL

a. State Law: In addition to the requirements in this Fire Plan, the Contractor shall comply with all applicable laws of the State of California. In particular, see California Public Resource Codes.

b. Smoking: Smoking shall not be permitted during fire season, except in a barren area or in an area cleared to mineral soil at least three feet in diameter. In areas closed to smoking, the CO may approve special areas to be used for smoking. The Contractor shall sign designated smoking areas. Contractor shall post signs regarding smoking and fire rules in conspicuous places for all employees to see. Contractor's supervisory personnel shall require compliance with these rules. Under no circumstances shall smoking be permitted during fire season while employees are operating light or heavy equipment, or walking or working in grass and woodlands.

c. Storage and Parking Areas. Parking areas, and gas and oil storage areas shall be cleared of all flammable material for a radius of at least 10 feet unless otherwise specified by local administrative unit.

d. Reporting Fires: As soon as feasible but no later than 15 minutes after initial discovery, Contractor shall notify Forest Service of any fires on work area or along roads used by Contractor. Contractor's employees shall report all fires as soon as possible to any of the following Forest Service facilities and/or personnel listed below, but not necessarily in the order shown:

Inspector

COR

District Ranger

e. When reporting a fire, provide the following information:

Your Name:

Call back telephone number:

Project Name:

Location: Legal description (Township, Range, Section); and Descriptive location (Reference point) Fire Information: Including Acres, Rate of Spread and Wind Conditions.

f. Communications: Contractor shall furnish a serviceable telephone, radio-telephone or radio system connecting each operating side with Contractor's headquarters. When such headquarters is at a location which makes communication to it clearly impractical, Forest Service may accept a reasonable alternative location. The communication system shall provide prompt and reliable communications between Contractor's headquarters (or agreed to alternative) and Forest Service via commercial or Forest Service telephone.

The Contractor shall, prior to commencing work, furnish the following information relating to key personnel:

Fire Supervisor

6. EMERGENCY PRECAUTIONS

Contractor's Operations shall conform to the limitations or requirements in the Project Activity Level (PAL) table below. Project Activity Levels applicable to this project shall be the predicted activity levels for the Fire Danger Rating Area(s), or fire weather station(s) stated in the SPA Area Map Legend.

Fire Danger Rating Area/Fire Weather Station for Project: P.A.L. Zone High South

The Forest Service, in its sole discretion, may change the predicted activity level if the current fire suppression situation, weather and vegetation conditions warrant an adjustment. If practicable, Forest Service will determine the following day’s activity level by 6:00 PM. Contractor shall obtain the predicted Project Activity Level from the appropriate Ranger District Office before starting work each day.

Phone Number or Website to obtain Predicted Activity Level: 209-533-1130 (Stanislaus Dispatch Forest Service may change the Project Activity Level Table to other values upon revision of the National Fire Danger Rating System. When Contractor is notified, the revised Project Activity Levels will supersede the levels in the Project Activity Level Table below.

PROJECT ACTIVITY LEVEL

2. No Dead Tree felling after 1:00 PM, except recently dead.

2. No chainsaw (gas or electric) after 1:00pm.

2. Hand clearing permitted all day

This Project utilizes “The Project Activity Level” (PAL), an industrial operation’s fire precaution system. The following Climatology Chart indicates the Historic Activity Levels for the Project Fire Danger Rating Area or Fire Weather Station utilized on this Project. This is only a historical average of the Activity Levels for the identified Fire Danger Rating Area or Weather Station.

The Project Activity Level (PAL), and industrial operations fire precaution system will be used for this project. The PAL Zone High South RAWS will be used to calculate the Project Activity Level. The normal operating season is May 1 through October 31. The expected days per month at each PAL value for the normal operation season is shown in the following table:

Project Activity Level 2010

Last revised: July 2022