SECTION 1 - REQUEST FOR WAIVER

Shutdown Zone: / Geographic location of work(a map and directions to the site are required to process a request):
Location of Work– Legal Township/Section/Range
Lat/Long: / FPA # (if applicable)
Describe surface fuels in work area:
How steep is work site? / % slope / Aspect: N E S W flat (circle one)
Person requesting this Waiver: / Date:
Phone number: / E-mail:

Contract Name/#:______

Describe what type of work you would like to do, including timeframe. Be detailed and include all information about work items that have potential to start fires (such as chainsaw operation, grinding, welding, motorized equipment/tools, excavating, brushing, driving off road, etc.)

Describe what measures you will put in place to prevent fire starts or to immediately suppress and communicate any fires. Demonstrate why these measures will result in the operations being a fire safe activity in a low hazard area. (Examples could include: Fire tools, extinguishers, fire watch, fire engine, working on bare soils, fire fighters on stand-by, limited times of operation, dozer on stand by, communication equipment, bladder bags, sprinklers, etc.)

SECTION 2 - WAIVER AUTHORIZATION

The WA Department of Natural Resources authorizes the work described subject to the following conditions and requirements:

All IFPL3 restrictions apply (WAC 332.24.301(3)(a)(iii)) and appropriate tool requirements listed in 332-24-405.

In addition to IFPL3 restrictions and tool requirements the following are required for salvage logging waiver consideration:

  • Logging, mastication and line skidding operations: Cease all chainsaw, mastication, and tracked harvesting, and tracked and line skidding operations by 11:00 a.m. Or, if using a handheld pocket weather stations (e.g., Kestrel 3000), cease all such operations when relative humidity is below 30% and wind speeds exceed 6 mph. Regardless, all harvesting and skidding operations must cease by 1 pm.
  • Daily equipment inspections: Operators must conduct daily inspections of equipment to clear away dry organic material and other flammable debris from heat sources and ensure proper functioning of all systems and components (exhaust, tracks, spark arrestors, etc.)
  • Extended patrol (in addition to the firewatch requirement in WAC 332-24-405): An equipment operator will remain patrolling onsite until 6:00 p.m. and be capable of operating a dozer or excavator for line construction purposes. Personnel are required to walk the harvest unit during the extended patrol period. It is preferable to have 2 people onsite until 6:00 p.m., one person to operate equipment and another to call in a fire and operate water delivery systems, if needed.
  • Operators may not operate any closer than 100 ft. to the outer perimeter of a 2015 burned area; i.e, must operate only in completely “black” burned area with no unburned slash, debris, or standing timber, well within the black to reduce the chance of escaping the fire perimeter.

Additional site-specific conditions and requirements:

Specific Content Regarding Landowner/Operator Liability

An IFPL4waiver is NOT a waiver of the operator’s responsibility/liability for any fires started by logging operations. Operators must acknowledge, in writing:

Based on the unique circumstances caused by extensive fires that have already burned over one million acres of forest land in Eastern Washington, and the desire of landowners to perform salvage logging in a timely manner before more property value is lost, DNR has determined the probability for fire starting and/or spreading is lower for the burned over lands than for those lands not affected by the fires in the IFPL 4 zones as long as the landowner/operator conducts the salvage logging in a fire-safe manner given the existing conditions.

The waiver applicant commits to take all necessary precautions to prevent fires that may be ignited by its operations under any precaution level. The waiver applicant is ultimately responsible for any fire that results from such operations, notwithstanding an IFPL waiver from DNR. Nothing in this waiver creates responsibility or liability on DNR’s part for any fire resulting from such operations. The waiver applicant fully understands the fire risks associated with its proposed operations and acknowledges such operations will be conducted in a completely fire-safe manner.

For salvage logging operations to be fire-safe and constrained to low-hazard areas, criteria and conditions must be met at all times during operations. Any operations outside the proscribed criteria and conditions will be considered a violation of the WAC by the salvage logging operator and/or landowner.

To obtain current IFPL levels for the zone(s) where any operations are conducted throughout the Closed Season go to call 1-800-323-BURN (2876) automated phone system.

Monitoring current National Weather Service alerts throughout the Closed Season. When the area of operation is under a National Weather Service red flag warning, this waiver is void and operator must comply with IFPL shutdown zone restrictions. Red flag warnings can be found at:

Individuals and/or the company acting under this waiver will be held responsible for any fires that may start as a result of these operations (RCW 76.04.495).

This waiver is considered null and void if the above measures /criteria are not met.

This waiver may be rescinded at any time at the determination of the Department of Natural Resources.

Any fire starts must be reported to 911 immediately.

This waiver must be on site while working and you must notify dispatch when working on level III days.

Waiver is valid from / through / .

POINTS OF CONTACT FOR THIS CONDITIONAL WAIVER

Project location Dispatch Center / Phone #:
To Report a Fire call: / 911 or 1-800-323-BURN (2876)
Primary Contact for Waiver:
Phone#: / E-mail:

Signatures for Operations

I am aware that this waiver is being requested (if requestor is not the landowner)

Date:
Name
Landowner and Title (if applicable)

I agree to comply with the above conditions:

Date:
Name
Company/Agency and Title
Issued by: / Date:
Name
Title

1111 WASHINGTON ST SE  PO BOX 47000  OLYMPIA, WA 98504-7000

FAX: (360) 902-1775  TTY: (360) 902-1125  TEL: (360) 902-1000

Equal Opportunity Employer / Affirmative Action Employer