Attachment 6 - Fire Plan.docx

GILA NATIONAL FOREST

INDUSTRIAL FIRE PRECAUTIONS PLAN GUIDELINES

For

AUTHORIZED USERS

Purpose

The purpose of fire restrictions and industrial fire precautions is to reduce the risk of human-caused fires. The Industrial Fire Precautions Plan Guidelines and its associated fire precautionary measures must be followed year round. The intent of this guide is to provide authorized users with the information they need to ensure their operations conform to the standards and requirements outlined within this document. For the purpose of this plan, authorized users include any permit holder, lease, contractor, subcontractor and other user, engaged in permitted operations on the Gila National Forest lands.

When operating on Gila National Forest lands, it is necessary for the permitted user to know the current Emergency Fire Precautions Schedule and to take the appropriate actions to meet the mitigation measures in these guidelines. In addition, it is also incumbent on the authorized user to inform any and all of their subordinates (contractors and sub-contractors, etc) of these precautions and to ensure that all requirements are being met.

At all times, users shall have a plan of action which briefly states what preventative measures will be taken to mitigate fire occurrence. Users should clearly designate a fireguard (spotter) and what actions will be taken should a fire occur, including the notification process. The following requirements are a part of this solicitation and any resultant contract.

General Fire Precautionary Measures

Communications

Authorized users shall ensure a cell phone or radio communication system is available to provide prompt and reliable communications between the authorized user’s operations and the Gila National Forest. In the event of a wildland fire ignition, users shall contact Gila National Forest Dispatch at 575-538-5371

Fire Tools

Authorized users shall furnish and maintain in good working order fire tools to be used only for suppressing wildland fires. Each operation shall be provided with one firefighting tool per person to equip all personnel engaged in operations. Approved firefighting tools may include the following: Pulaski, McLeod, long-handled shovel. These tools are separate from those required to be mounted on equipment.

Fire Tools on Equipment

Passenger vehicles, including light pickup trucks and all-terrain vehicles, shall be equipped with a minimum of 1 long-handled shovel and 1 ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher not less than 2.5 lb. capacity. Each internal combustion fuel piece of equipment (dump truck, dozer, excavator, backhoe, etc) shall be equipped with one long-handled shovel and one 5 lb capacity ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher. Shovels and fire extinguishers shall be mounted and readily reached from the ground.

Spark Arrestors and Mufflers

Authorized user will ensure that each internal combustion engine shall be equipped with a spark arrestor qualified and rated under latest revision of Society of Automotive Engineers “medium size engine, SAE recommended practice J350” unless:

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

b) A multi-position engine, such as power saws purchased after 1977, 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 arrestor/muffler containing a 0.023 inch mesh screen in good condition.

c) A passenger 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 truck, or other vehicle used for commercial hauling, used only on roads and equipped with a factory designed muffler and a vertical stack exhaust system extending above the cab.

Exhaust equipment described in this section, including spark arrestors 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 shovel and one chemical-pressurized ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher of 1 lb. 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 handtools shall be moved at least 10 feet from the place of fueling or refueling prior to starting.

Gas Oil Storage and Service Areas

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

Burning of Refuse

No slash or other debris shall be burned without the written consent of the Gila National Forest.

Blasting

Use of fuses in blasting shall not be permitted. A long-handled shovel and at least 5 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 1 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, authorized users shall have available a long-handled shovel, a minimum of 5 gallons of water, and a 5 lb ABC dry chemical extinguisher at each welding site. A fire guard must remain on the welding site for a minimum of 1 hour after welding operations have ended.

Specific Fire Precautionary Measures

*Partial Forest Closure:

Project 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 Permit Administrator and Permittee 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 Permit Administrator. The appropriate Forest Line Officer may adjust the predicted Industrial Fire Precaution Plan for local weather conditions within a project area. Changes in the predicted Industrial Fire Precaution Plan shall be agreed to in writing.

Industrial Fire Precaution Plan – Description

Authorized user will restrict operations is accordance with the attached Emergency Fire Precaution Schedule:

A - Normal Fire Precautions – No fire guard required except for welding and blasting operations.

B – Normal Fire Precautions – Authorized user will provide fire guard.

C – All power equipment use as well as blasting and welding operations will shut down from 1200 noon until 8:00 PM. Operations on mineral soil involving activities such as road excavation, watering, grading, surfacing, rock crushing, and/or other equipment maintenance may continue. Authorized user 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.

Fire Guards

To prevent, detect, and suppress wildland fire, authorized users 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 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 requirement on adjacent areas if the travel time with available transportation is not in excess of 10 minutes to any of the other areas requiring such service and provided the fire guard patrols all areas 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 within the project area. Each fire guard shall be equipped with a vehicle and a fire tool cache consisting of a variety of fire tools maintained and in serviceable condition. Approved firefighting tools may include a Pulaski, long handled shovels, McLeods, and combination tools. The fire guard will also carry at least 25 gallons of water for firefighting purposes.

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 warnings are 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 authorized user operations will adhere to Industrial Fire Precaution Plan “D” and will shut down operations until the Red Flag Warning is rescinded.