Idaho Administrative Code › Title IDAPA 20 - Lands, Department of › Rule 20.04.02 - RULES PERTAINING TO THE IDAHO FORESTRY ACT AND FIRE HAZARD REDUCTION LAWS › Section 20.04.02.120 - STANDARDS - TREATMENT OF HAZARDS

Current through August 31, 2023
01.
Purpose
. To provide standards for hazard reduction and the release of liability for the contractor who is working under a valid Agreement with the State. (3-18-22)
02.
Reduction of Total Hazard Points
. The contractor must reduce the total hazard points charged against the contract area to five (5) points or less (see Table II) on or before the expiration date on the Agreement in order to receive a refund of slash monies withheld (less three (3) percent for the fire suppression fund, ref. Rule 150) or, to clear any demands that might be made against the surety bond and to receive a release of liability against any fires that start on or pass through the contract area.
TABLE II - HAZARD CHARACTERISTICS AND OFFSET SLASH LOAD MAXIMUM 20 POINTS
RATING (POINTS)
ADJECTIVE DESCRIPTION
LOW (0-5)
Associated with low harvest volumes per acre such as; selection cutting, light commercial thinning, sanitation/salvage operations, tree length skidding with tops and limbs and little or no breakage. Slash is broken up; slash is in many islands over the operating area.
MODERATE (6-10)
Operation types similar to those listed above except that harvest volume per acre is higher or utilization standards are lower, or timber has higher proportion of unusable top and crown (commonly associated with partial cutting in second growth stands of mixed timber). Most diameter limit cutting falls in this category. Slash is distributed with some clear or very light areas intermingled with heavy islands of slash over the operating area, slash is not continuous.
HIGH (11-15)
Usually associated with regeneration harvest methods such as shelterwood, seed tree and most clearcuts, or any partial cut with a high harvest volume per acre. Slash is nearly continuous through the operating area frequently with heavier islands intermingled with light continuous slash.
EXTREME (16-20)
Any operation with very high cut volume, and/or low utilization standards, and/or many slashed or broken stems. Slash is continuous over the operating area with few light areas.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
LOW (0-5)
Slash load less than or equal to 3 inch diameter materials not to exceed 3.0 tons/acre.
MODERATE (6-10)
Slash load less than or equal to 3 inch diameter materials greater than 3.0 tons/acre but less than 6.0 tons/acre.
HIGH (11-15)
Slash load less than or equal to 3 inch diameter materials greater than 6.0 tons/acre but less than 12.0 tons/acre.
EXTREME (16-20)
Slash load less than or equal to 3 inch diameter materials exceeds 12.0 tons/acre.
Slash loads can be determined by using any standard photo series appropriate for the habitat type represented by the contract area, or by using USDA Forest Service General Technical Report INT-16, 1974 (HANDBOOK FOR INVENTORYING DOWNED WOODY MATERIAL). If the contractor insists upon the latter, sampling intensity will be one (1) point per two (2) acres through the area in question. The inventory cost is paid by the contractor. All slash made available as a result of the current harvest will be included in the inventory except that slash that has been piled and will be burned by the contractor before the expiration date on the Agreement or such extensions granted by the fire warden.
SITE FACTORS - MAXIMUM 10 POINTS
ASPECT
PERCENT SLOPE
0-10
11-20
21-30
31-40
41-50
>50
N-NE
0
0
1
2
4
5
E,NW
0
0
1
3
6
7
W,SE
0
1
2
5
8
9
S-SW
1
2
4
7
9
10
PT VALUE
0
1
2
3
4
5
OTHER FACTORS - MAXIMUM 7 POINTS
Pre-existing slash from operations in the past five years  0-2
Proximity to structures, highways and recreational areas (e.g., parks, established campgrounds, etc).
Add Points
330 feet
5
660 feet
4
990 feet
3
1320 feet
2
2640 feet
1
In applying offset points to large, complex contract areas, or contract areas with highly variable hazard characteristics, hazard offset techniques must first be applied toward that portion of the contract area which will do the most to reduce the hazard by optimizing fire control effects.
HAZARD OFFSETS
ALL POINTS ARE DEDUCTIONS
DISPOSAL
Piling and Burning, Broadcast Burning, etc.
0-42
If disposal reduces slash load in the contract area to <3 tons, deduct hazard points to five (5) or less. If disposal does not reduce slash load to that level, points should be assigned as a proportion of the area treated. For example, if twenty-five percent (25%) of the area is dozer piled and the piles burned, but the slash load in the contract area still exceeds three (3) tons, twenty-five percent (25%) of the total points charged against the job should be deducted. However, if the disposal effectively isolates the untreated portion of the slash, or is otherwise placed to optimize fire control effects the proportion of points deducted may be increased to an amount to be determined by the district fire warden.
Chipping
0-42
MODIFICATION:
Crushing
0-20
Lopping
0-10
Lopping standards: All material less than three (3) inches in diameter will be cut so that it does not extend more than twenty (20) inches of the mean height above the ground. In addition, all boles greater than three (3) inches in diameter intersecting another bole will be completely severed.
Assign points as a proportion of the contract area treated.
ISOLATION
Fuel Breaks
0-20
To qualify as a fuel break, all slash and available fuels (Ref. Subsection  010.10) must be removed, or piled and burned, or treated sufficiently to prevent a fire from carrying through the area, for a minimum width of one chain ( 66 feet). In addition, the breaks must be placed to take advantage of terrain, manmade or natural barriers and to provide for optimum fire control effect.
Fire Lines
0-5
All vegetative material must be removed to expose mineral soil. Minimum width of dozer line must be the width of the dozer blade with all dirt pushed in one direction and all vegetative debris to the other. Handlines must be eighteen (18) inches wide; additionally all fuels must be cleared for eight (8) feet. Lines must be tied to an anchor point except that they are not required to be built through a riparian management zone. In addition, the lines must be placed to take advantage of terrain, manmade or natural barriers, and to provide for optimum fire control effect. Maximum points allowed only if combined with an approved fuel break.
ASSIGNING POINTS FOR ISOLATION
Isolation techniques will usually be used to break the area into subunits or isolate the area from adjacent stands. Hazard offsets can be deducted for both if, in the opinion of the fire warden, both objectives are met and the total isolation points do not exceed 25 offset points.
ACTIVITY
FUEL BREAK ONLY
FIRE LINE ONLY
BOTH
Isolates contract area into subunits:
A. Partial isolation or incomplete units
1-5
1
1-6
B. Complete isolation of area into 1 to 2 subunits
6-10
2
6-12
C. Complete isolation of area into 3 to 5 subunits
11-15
3
11-18
D. Complete isolation of area into 6 or more subunits
16-20
4
16-25
OR
Isolates contract area from adjacent stands:
A. One third of the contract area boundary isolated
1-5
1
1-6
B. Two thirds of the contract area boundary isolated
6-10
2
6-12
C. Entire contract area boundary isolated
11-15
3
11-18
ACCESS CONTROL
0-2
Locked gate system controls access on all secondary roads with slash treated on main road
1
Locked gate system controls all road access into unit
2
AVAILABILITY OF WATER
0-3
The water supply must provide water availability for engines within one road mile of operating area or within three air miles for helicopter bucket use. The water supply must be sufficient to supply 10,000 gallons in an operational period during the fire season.
Water supply for engine only or helicopter only (capacity 10,000 gallons during fire season).
1
Water supply for engine and helicopter (capacity 10,000 gallons) or; for engine or helicopter and which replenishes itself every operational period.
2
Water supply for engine and helicopter which replenishes itself every operational period.
3
(3-18-22)