Severe fire danger necessitates additional wildland access restrictions

Effective immediately, Laboratory managers have closed all Lab-controlled wilderness areas to all nonwork-related activities as a result of extreme fire danger, lingering severe drought conditions, pine beetle infestation and lack of available fire fighting resources. Similar restrictions were imposed last summer as wildland fire conditions elevated to extreme levels.

"It is once again appropriate and prudent for [the Laboratory] to invoke restrictions on Lab property in light of the elevated fire danger," said Jim Holt, associate Laboratory Director for Operations. "The purpose of these closures is two-fold: First, we want to reduce the potential for wildland fire ignition by human causes such as vehicles or smoking; and second, we want to reduce the potential for employees being trapped in a Laboratory forested area if a fire starts, recognizing that natural events, such as lightning, cannot be controlled."

The Laboratory comprises more than 40 square miles of land, much of it wilderness. All undeveloped or wildland areas of the Laboratory will be closed to all nonwork activities — such as jogging, cycling, walking and similar recreation-like activities. The closure includes Wellness Center trails and public access to undeveloped Laboratory areas to the south and east of NM 4.

On May 5, the Laboratory issued initial restrictions in response to elevated wildland fire conditions under ALERT 0004 (Adobe Acrobat Reader required).These restrictions also remain in-place and include the following:

• Work conducted in forested or undeveloped wildland areas of the Laboratory are restricted to mission essential, environmental, safety and health and regulatory essential and forest fuels mitigation (e.g., tree thinning and removal) activities. Laboratory line managers should ensure that employees performing approved work activities in undeveloped/wildland areas possess a reliable means of communication (e.g., cellular telephone, portable radio) and a pager for emergency notification/communication of changing weather and fire conditions. Managers also should remain aware of the location(s) and status of their employee's work site(s).
• Restrictions are imposed via a graded approach by the "Work Restriction Matrix." These restrictions were developed based on National Park Service and United States Forest Service standards with consideration for rapid initial fire attack, availability of fire suppression personnel and on-site equipment. When fire danger ratings include forecasted "RED FLAG" conditions, additional restrictions, up to and including cessation or disallowance of many activities, will be implemented in accordance with the Matrix. The "RED FLAG" warning system is the means by which the National Weather Service informs fire management agencies of the onset or possibility of critical weather (e.g., low relative humidity, high winds, high lightning potential, etc.) and fuel conditions that could lead to imminent wildland fire initiation or extreme wildland fire behavior. The Laboratory issues a fire weather report daily — normally by 10 a.m. — including anticipated "RED FLAG" conditions, on the Laboratory's internal Web page.
• All spark- and flame-producing activities conducted outside of buildings require written approval from the Laboratory Fire Marshal or designee:
  • Permits are only approved for a maximum of 30 calendar days.
  • A trained/certified Fire Watch (current PS-13 Course Nos. 15672 and 9893) must be present during the operation(s).
  • A currently inspected portable fire extinguisher commensurate with the potential fire hazards that may be present is provided for the Fire Watch by those conducting the activities.
  • All combustibles, including weeds and brush, within 35 feet of the spark - or flame-producing operation are removed, covered with fire-protective blankets, or wet down.
  • Personnel performing the spark - or flame-producing operation and the Fire Watch role must be cognizant of changing weather conditions, especially increased wind that might allow dispersal of hot embers or slag materials beyond the 35-foot noncombustible perimeter. If weather conditions change adversely, work is to be stopped until safe conditions are re-established.
  • Following approved operations, person(s) conducting the activity are responsible for ensuing that the operation has not caused a fire or hot spot. A check of the work area(s) must be conducted at least 30 minutes following cessation of the operation.
• All driving off established roadways is restricted to mission essential, ESH and regulatory essential, and forest fuels mitigation activities. For the purposes of this restriction, established roadways consist of roads improved by pavement, gravel or base coarse.
  • Vehicles deployed off-road must be provided with a currently inspected portable fire extinguisher commensurate with the potential fire hazards that may be present.
  • Off-road vehicles (e.g., all-terrain vehicles, construction equipment) and fuel-fired equipment (e.g., chain saws, chippers, etc) must be provided with approved spark arresters or suitable safety devices to reduce the potential for emitting sparks, embers or hot materials that might initiate a fire.
• Outdoor cooking activities are limited to constantly attended electric- or gas-fired grills in areas suitable for this activity.
  
• Smoking is prohibited in all areas of the Laboratory except in designated smoking areas per Administrative Manual (AM) 626, Smoking. Personnel working in wildland and undeveloped areas of the Laboratory are prohibited from smoking during the course of these activities. "There has been at least one recent occurrence where observant and proactive Laboratory employee extinguished a road-side smoldering fire resulting from a discarded cigarette," said Laboratory Fire Marshal Jim Streit (FWO-FIRE).
• Following any operation that is performed in a wildland or undeveloped area, the person(s) conducting the activity are responsible for ensuring that the activity has not caused a fire or hot spot(s). A check of the work area(s) is to be conducted at least 30 minutes following cessation of operations in these areas.
• All managers are asked to routinely assess their areas of responsibility, both indoors and outdoors, for accumulations of combustible materials or operations that could pose a threat of fire or create an unnecessary fire exposure to facilities and operations.

Restrictions and Alert 0004 will remain in effect until weather or fire conditions significantly improve.

For more information about the fire restrictions, see the all-employee memo.

-- James Rickman