5140
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FOREST SERVICE MANUAL
NORTHERN REGION (REGION 1)
MISSOULA, MT
FSM 5100 – FIRE MANAGEMENT
CHAPTER 5140 – FIRE USE
Supplement No.: R1 5100-2001-5
Effective Date: September 27, 2001
Duration: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
Approved: KATHLEEN A. MCALLISTER
Acting Regional Forester
Date Approved: 09/06/2001
Posting Instructions: Supplements are numbered consecutively by Title and calendar year.
Post by document; remove entire document and replace it with this supplement. Retain this
transmittal as the first page(s) of this document. The last supplement to this title was
5100-2001-4 to FSM 5130.
New Document(s):
5140
6 Pages
Superseded Document(s):
(Supplement Number and
Effective Date)
5140 (Supplement 91-3, 8/21/91)
19 Pages
Digest:
5140 - This supplement substantially revises the entire chapter to link Intermountain/Northern
Regions fire use policy to the Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy adopted December 18,
1995 by the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior (FSM 5140.1) and Agency direction in the
parent text.
R1 SUPPLEMENT 5100-2001-5
EFFECTIVE DATE: 09/27/2001
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
5140
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FSM 5100 – FIRE MANAGEMENT
CHAPTER 5140 – FIRE USE
5140.3 - Policy
5140.31 – General Fire-Use Policies
5140.32 – Implementation
1. Use an approved vegetative prescription (Silvicultural Practices Handbook, FSH
2409.17, section 8.1) for all prescribed burn projects on forested and non-forested lands.
2. Upon the approval of Stage I of a wildland fire implementation plan; the Forest
Supervisor shall notify the Regional Director of Fire and Aviation Management of the decision
to initiate management of a wildland fire-use event.
3. The Regional Forester must approve all wildland fire use and prescribed fire
implementation at National or Regional Preparedness Levels IV and V.
Base approval of wildland fire use and prescribed fire implementation on an assessment of all
fire activity in the Region, on-going or planned; risk assessments; and impacts to Geographical
Area resources and to other fire activities which may be in competition for those resources.
Include feedback from the Geographic Area Multi-agency Coordinating Group (MAC) at
Regional Preparedness Level IV or the National Agency Representative and National MAC
Group at National Preparedness Level V.
4. Air quality authorization is needed to implement prescribed fire and wildland fire
projects during regulated periods. Refer to State Airshed Operating Guides for specific
requirements.
5. Changes to an approved Prescribed Fire Burn Plan require written approval by a line
officer or acting line officer.
a. In cases where the approving line officer is not available to provide written
authorization, verbal approval may be obtained from an acting line officer.
b. Document verbal approval in writing, obtain line officer signature when available,
and attached to the original burn plan.
c. A burn boss may make minor revisions to firing patterns and holding forces in
response to changing fire conditions.
6. A written contingency plan is a required element for each Prescribed Fire Burn Plan.
The contingency plan describes resources and actions necessary to mitigate risks and potential
consequences identified in the NWCG Prescribed Fire Complexity Rating System Guide,
NFES No. 2474 that are possible but not likely to occur. In comparison, the ignition, holding,
and mop-up elements of a prescribed burning plan describe how the probable risks and potential
consequences identified in NFES No. 2474 that are likely to occur are mitigated.
R1 SUPPLEMENT 5100-2001-5
EFFECTIVE DATE: 09/27/2001
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
5140
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FSM 5100 – FIRE MANAGEMENT
CHAPTER 5140 – FIRE USE
a. Resources identified in the contingency plan must be available to respond as
identified.
b. Resources identified in the contingency plan are usually dedicated to a single
prescribed burn.
(1) Contingency resources may be dedicated to a group of burns if those burns are
located within a distinct, pre-identified geographical area.
(2) Collectively plan for the effect on contingency resources for a group of burns
within the approved Prescribed Fire Burn Plan.
c. Update contingency plans as conditions within the fire environment change. Use
the same process described in paragraph 5 above.
5140.4 - Responsibility
5140.41 - Regional Forester
In addition to authority and responsibilities listed in parent text, the Regional Forester has the
authority and responsibility to:
3. Ensure that Forests conduct prescribed fires and wildland fire-use projects in
compliance with National and Regional fire management policies and standards.
a. Conduct a fire-use program review of each national forest at least once every 5
years. The composition of the review team shall be interdisciplinary.
b. Perform periodic field activity reviews of active wildland fire use and prescribed
fire operations.
8. Approve incident qualification cards (red cards) for the following fire-use positions:
Fire Use Manager (FUMA), Prescribed Fire Manager (RXM1), and Prescribed Fire Burn Boss
(RXB1).
5140.42 - Forest Supervisor
In addition to authority and responsibilities listed in parent test, Forest Supervisors have the
responsibility to:
1. Establish a process for review of Prescribed Fire Burn Plans prior to approval.
Include a description of the process as a component of the Forest Fire Management Plan (FMP).
2. Authorize implementation of Prescribed Fire Burn Plans (RXBP) and Wildland Fire
Implementation Plans (WFIP) for all complexity levels at Regional and National Preparedness
Levels I, II, and III.
R1 SUPPLEMENT 5100-2001-5
EFFECTIVE DATE: 09/27/2001
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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FSM 5100 – FIRE MANAGEMENT
CHAPTER 5140 – FIRE USE
3. Delegate prescribed fire and WFIP approval authority to an Acting Forest or
Grassland Supervisor, District Ranger, or Acting Ranger, as needed, if that individual meets the
requisite fire management knowledge and experience as defined below:
a. Prescribed Fire – Requisite knowledge requirements for approving Prescribed Fire
Burn Plans may be attained by attending (1) and (2) described below:
(1) A forest line officer prescribed fire workshop that addresses the following:
(a) Required elements of a Prescribed Fire Burn Plan.
(b) Use of the Prescribed Fire Complexity Rating System Guide.
(c) Review of Wildland and Prescribed Fire Management Policy Implementation
Procedures Reference Guide.
(d) Review of FSM 5140.
(e) Preparation and implementation of contingency and holding plans.
(f) Qualifications of fire-use personnel listed in FSH 5109.17.
(g) Developing and using worst-case scenarios.
(h) Lessons learned from past fire-use events.
(2) Either Fire Management for Agency Administrators or a Regional or National
Fire Management Leadership course.
b. Wildland Fire Use - Requisite knowledge requirements for approving wildland fire
implementation plans may be attained by attending (1) and (2) described below:
(1) A forest line officer wildland fire-use workshop that addresses the following:
(a) Required elements of a wildland fire implementation plan (WFIP).
(b) Review of Wildland and Prescribed Fire Management Policy Implementation
Procedures Reference Guide.
(c) Review of FSM 5140.
(d) Qualifications of fire-use personnel, FSH 5109.17.
(e) Developing and using worst-case scenarios.
(f) Lessons learned from past fire-use events.
R1 SUPPLEMENT 5100-2001-5
EFFECTIVE DATE: 09/27/2001
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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FSM 5100 – FIRE MANAGEMENT
CHAPTER 5140 – FIRE USE
(2) Either Fire Management for Agency Administrators or a Regional or National
Fire Management Leadership Course, or S-580, Fire-Use Applications.
4. Ensure that delegated acting line officers have either prior experience or have an onthe-job training assignment(s) in the appropriate fire-use approval process.
5. Using the Incident Qualification System (IQS), document the experience, training, and
qualifications of forest personnel involved in prescribed fire and wildland fire use.
See FSH 5109.17, Fire and Aviation Management Qualifications Handbook, for physical fitness
requirements for wildland fire use and prescribed burning positions.
5141 – FIRE-USE PLANNING
Develop a fuel-management analysis, describing the changes in fire hazard over time and the
mitigation of those hazards for projects with fire hazard abatement objectives.
5142 - PRESCRIBED FIRE
5142.2 – Developing Prescribed Fire Burn Plans
1. Ensure that the procedures outlined in the Interagency Helicopter Operations Guide
(NFES 1885) and the Interagency Aerial Ignition Guide (NFES 1080) are implemented during
aerial ignition.
2. All aerial ignition projects are rated high complexity.
3. Prescribed Fire Mop-up Categories. Identify the minimum mop-up categories in the
Prescribed Fire Burn Plan. Different mop-up categories may be applied to specific areas of the
same project because of the size and complexity of prescribed fire projects. A higher mop-up
category may be required where prolonged smoke production is unacceptable.
a. Category 1 Mop-up: Apply Category 1 mop-up where an escape would likely
have an adverse social, political or economic consequence. Category 1 mop-up
standards include:
(1) One hundred percent mop-up of all spots and slop-overs.
(2) One hundred percent mop-up 2 chains in from perimeter within 3 to 5 days after
completing ignition.
(3) One hundred percent mop-up of entire unit.
(4) Consider the use of infrared detection.
R1 SUPPLEMENT 5100-2001-5
EFFECTIVE DATE: 09/27/2001
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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FSM 5100 – FIRE MANAGEMENT
CHAPTER 5140 – FIRE USE
b. Category 2 Mop-up: Apply Category 2 mop-up when an escape is not expected to
result in adverse social, political or economic consequences. Category 2 mop-up
standards include:
(1) One hundred percent mop-up of all spots and slop-overs.
(2) Perimeter mop-up to the extent appropriate considering season, predicted
weather, fuel bed characteristics, and reburn potential.
(3) Patrol until weather conditions eliminate the need or the burn is out.
(4) Consider the use of infrared detection.
c. Category 3 Mop-up: Category 3 mop-up applies when the potential for an escape
would not result in adverse social, political or economic consequences. Category 3
mop-up standard is: Patrol and monitor until weather conditions eliminate the need or
the burn is declared out.
5142.3 - Pre-Ignition Briefing and Forecast Requirements
Prepare Interagency Situation Report (SIT) for prescribed fire and wildland fire-use activities
according to procedures outlined in the Geographic Area Mobilization Guide.
5148 - CONTRACTING PRESCRIBED FIRE SERVICES
1. Where contracts or permits require a permittee, contractor, or timber sale purchaser to
use prescribed fire, Forest Supervisors shall require plan development and personnel
qualifications equivalent to Forest Service standards.
2. The Regional Director of Fire and Aviation Management shall develop a process to
certify qualified contractors.
3. Reporting of prescribed fire information in the daily SIT report also applies to contract
prescribed fire services.