Western Oregon Fire
Suppression Contract
July 1, 2013 thru June 30, 2018
Oregon & California Railroad Lands
In 1866, Congress provided a land grant of 3.7 million acres of
federal land in Oregon to finance the building of a railroad
from Portland to the California border.
Oregon & California Railroad Route thru Western Oregon
Oregon & California Railroad Lands
• The O&C railroad land grant included all oddnumbered sections (640 acres) of federal land within
20 to 30 miles of each side of the proposed railroad
line.
• To capitalize their venture, the railroad company was
allowed to sell the land in 160-acre parcels for $2.50
per acre, to “actual settlers”.
• The land sold slowly and initial investors went broke,
but subsequent railroad companies were more
creative.
• They illegally sold lands at reduced prices, or sold
lands and/or timber to companies, not actual settlers.
Oregon & California Railroad Lands
• Their illegal deeds were exposed and the U.S.
government filed suit and won in 1908.
• The disposition of the (revested) lands was
quite controversial and the State of Oregon
made a strong pitch for the lands to become
State lands.
• In 1916 the U.S. government took back the
remaining unsold O&C lands (approximately
2.5 million acres).
Oregon & California Railroad Lands
• The State would not get the lands but they
would be paid to provide fire protection by the
U.S. government.
• The western Oregon counties were also upset at
the loss of potential property taxes and they
lobbied congress for relief. In 1926 the Stanfield
Act authorized redistribution of timber revenues
to O&C counties at the rate of $500,000 per year
in lieu of unpaid taxes on the revested O&C
lands to compensate the counties.
• Compensation to O & C counties has changed 6
times since 1926.
Oregon & California Railroad Lands
• To correct fiscal inequities and provide
management direction for the O&C lands,
Congress amended the earlier Acts with the
O&C Act in 1937.
• This act provided that the land would be
managed for permanent forest production
under the principal of sustained yield and the
revenue would be shared with the counties.
The O & C Lands
The alternating privately owned lands are mainly timber
company ownership but do include small communities
and private residential ownership.
Oregon & California Railroad Lands
The alternating sections of the land grant created the
“Checkerboard” ownership pattern we have today.
Birth of ODF
• The lands sold by the O & C Railroad created
their own intermingled timber company
ownerships. Originally each timber company
provided their own fire protection.
• Starting in 1909 timber companies
consolidated into units to provide fire
protection.
• The first Fire Protection Associations were
organized where all landowners were
assessed based on the number of acres.
Birth of ODF
• As a result of the 1910 fires, which burned
500,000 acres and had 16 fatalities in Oregon,
the Legislature established the Board of
Forestry and hired a State Forester with a
budget and authority to hire wardens-Birth
of ODF 1911.
• There would be over 20 Fire Protection
Associations. All but 3 would dissolve and
combine into Districts administered by ODF.
Birth of BLM
• 1946- BLM was created by combining the
General Land Office (GLO) and U.S. Grazing
Service.
• BLM provided fire protection for the O & C
lands from 1946 till 1952.
• The checkerboard pattern of ownership
intermingled with private and sometimes
state forests was not efficient or effective.
• BLM entered into a Cooperative agreement
for ODF to provide fire protection.
Birth of Western Oregon Fire
Protection Contract
• The COOP Agreement was replaced in 1983
by a Service Contract of 5 year duration.
• This gave BLM greater participation in
planning and implementation of fire
protection activities.
• Required ODF to follow BLM resource
management objectives when conducting
suppression actions on BLM lands.
• Currently in our 5th 5 Year Contract.
Over 2,400,000 acres. Cost $7,500,000
Western Oregon Fire Protection Contract
ODF calculates cost on a per acre basis and produces a Lump
Sum bid for each of 4 Contract Items annually. Each Item is
priced as a not-to-exceed cost. There are no “large fire” costs.
Contract Items
1.
2.
3.
4.
Resource Readiness
Suppression
Special Management Areas
Extreme Risk Mitigation
Standard Fire Protection Requirements
Provide fire prevention, detection, initial attack,
extended attack, suppression, (including mop-up
and rehabilitation), and reporting services on
the Bureau of Land Management lands in
western Oregon.
Standard Fire Protection Requirements
ODF has the financial
responsibility for fire
suppression except when:
• Fire results from BLM
conducted operation
and escaped prescribed
burns.
• When fire starts in an
untreated slash hazard
unit that was planned
to be treated but not
yet treated.
Fire Qualifications
• Requires ODF to operate under the Incident
Command System (ICS).
• ODF shall meet qualification and operational
standards as identified in Wildland Fire
Qualification Guide NWCG 310-1, Part 1 and
Part 2, for all positions in the Command &
General Staff and Operations sections.
Use of Aircraft
All aircraft and pilots used to transport Federal
personnel shall be Office of Aviation Services (OAS)
or U.S. Forest Service approved.
Use of a State-controlled aircraft in the performance of
non-federal -personnel transport, water, and retardant
delivery, and air attack by air tankers, and helicopters,
and fixed-wings, are allowed on protected BLM lands
under this contract.
Organizational Responsibilities
•
•
•
•
Contracting Officer Representatives (COR)
Alternate CORs
Project Inspectors (PI)
Resource Advisors (READ) – Role is to help determine
natural and cultural resource concerns that could be affected
by suppression actions, and to aid in the determination of
emergency suppression rehabilitation needs.
• District Managers and Field Managers are Agency
Administrators
• Agency Representative (AREP)
Organizational Responsibilities
• BLM District Managers (DMs) are responsible
for the safe and efficient implementation of all
fire management activities within their
district. They do not forego this responsibility
under the contract.
• BLM represents itself in the geographic area
Multi-Agency Coordinating (MAC) group, and
any sub-geographic area MAC.
• BLM represents itself if an area command is
established.
Dispatching
• ODF notifies BLM Dispatch (or Duty Officer)
when fires on or threatening BLM within 30
minutes of discovery.
• BLM Dispatch notifies Duty Officer (or COR)
who determines need for contract
administration response.
• PI response is for all fires with potential for
growth and those in resource sensitive
locations.
• READs dispatched on as needed basis.
Dispatching
COR, PI, READ
• Work for BLM, not ODF. Administer the contract.
• Dispatched and tracked thru Federal Dispatch
Center.
• COR and PI must have the fire qualification or
experience commensurate to the fire complexity
to be able to determine if ODF actions are
appropriate.
Dispatching
• PI identifies any issues or
concerns and reports this to
COR.
• COR has authority to
request corrective actions
and will work with local ODF
AA to resolve issues at local
level.
• PI will report fire status to
BLM Dispatch and can order
additional PI/READ help.
Dispatching
• PI completes daily log and submits to COR
who reports to Contracting Officer/State COR.
• ODF can request BLM resources to assist them
in suppression. Overhead, Crews, engines are
ordered by ODF Dispatch thru BLM Dispatch.
• These resources work for ODF and are
managed by ODF.
• These BLM resources are paid by BLM with
the cost applied as a credit to the Contract.
Resource Readiness - Specific Action Plans
• Written plans developed by ODF describing
the actions and preparations they will take for
Prevention, Detection and Preparedness and
Initial Attack services.
• The written plans can be a stand-alone
document or incorporated into Contractor
Mobilization Plans or Fire Operations Plans.
• Review and approval by BLM District CORs
Suppression
• Suppression covers services from after initial
attack through suppression and rehabilitation,
including extended attack.
• Initial Attack Standard - The Contractor shall
control 94% of all fires before they exceed ten
(10) acres in size.
• Upon the occurrence of a wildland fire, the
Contractor shall take immediate action to
control and suppress the fire.
Suppression
• ODF’s suppression objective on private timber
lands is to keep fires as small as possible.
• Much of BLM lands are lower elevation and
are often adjacent to valley bottoms and
communities.
• Mixed ownership with BLM and private lands
tends to make prompt suppression and
limiting fire size the joint objective. BLM
prefers a lighter touch due to more than just
timber resource values.
Suppression of Fires Escaping Initial
Attack
ODF shall continue with aggressive
suppression unless ordered to discontinue
action by the BLM District COR.
ODF determines need for an Incident
Management Team and order thru ODF
dispatch.
 A Letter of Direction from the BLM District
Manager via the COR will be issued to the
Incident Commander of the incoming team.
Suppression of Fires Escaping Initial
Attack
 Letter of Direction is used to provide the Incident
Commander with specific resource protection
and land management guidance on BLM lands
during suppression operations.
 Letter of Direction is used instead of a Delegation
of Authority because ODF is already delegated by
the contract.
 ODF shall base suppression tactics and strategies
on BLM resource objectives and concerns
identified in a Letter of Direction and briefing by
local BLM District COR. The Incident Commander
shall use this information when directing tactics.
Suppression of Fires Escaping Initial
Attack
BLM may assume the suppression effort for
BLM escaped prescribed fires and under
unusual circumstances may assume
management of some fires which escape
initial attack on BLM lands when Contractor
forces are committed and the Contractor is
incapable of meeting contract standards.
All suppression costs will be the responsibility
of the BLM for fires that they choose to
manage.
Resource Protection
• ODF shall follow BLM resource management objectives per
the District’s Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Fire
Management Plan (FMP).
• Where suppression actions are not consistent with identifed
resource management objectives, the Incident Commander
documents the rationale for the decision.
• Special Fire Protection Measures: Preparedness, detection, or
suppression measures that differ from those typically used
due to site specific BLM resource objectives or for resource
protection purposes. Areas with these restrictions are
identified to ODF annually.
Rehabilitation
• ODF performs rehabilitation of damages resulting from
suppression operations in accordance with a
rehabilitation plan developed jointly with the BLM, and
based upon BLM resource management objectives.
• ODF implements the plan in accordance with directions
from the COR concerning timing and manner.
• It is recognized that fireline rehabilitation on BLM lands
may be slightly different than rehabilitation measures
customarily practiced by ODF on private lands.
• Rehabilitation of damage to natural resources by the
fire itself is not considered to be fireline rehabilitation.
Special Management Areas
Special Management Areas for this contract are the Wild and
Scenic Portion of the Rogue River Corridor, and the Soda
Mountain Wilderness Area.
Areas where BLM has identified a need for increased levels or
unique types of fire protection service in order to meet BLM
resource objectives. These services are above and beyond
those for typical BLM lands. Specific services and the
estimated cost is determined annually and included in the
Schedule of Items.
The Wild and Scenic Portion of the Rogue River Corridor
requires daily foot patrols, fire prevention, public contacts,
and the enforcement of fire-use closures, and the Soda
Mountain Wilderness Area requires that suppression activities
follow the Minimum Suppression Tactics (MIST) Guidelines.
Dispatching - REPORTS
Individual Fire ReportsODF completes portions
of the fire report and
submits them to BLM
Dispatch, this includes
threat fires that occur on
private lands within one
mile of BLM lands.
Dispatching - REPORTS
Interagency Situation
Report & Incident Status
Summary (ICS-209) – ODF
completes these in
accordance with current
direction and guidelines.
Enough Already!!!!!!