Wash. Admin. Code § 222-30-100 - Slash disposal or prescribed burning
Current through Register Vol. 22-07, April 1, 2022
(1)
Slash disposal or prescribed
burning are prohibited in the core zone.
(2)
Slash disposal techniques:
(a) Any conventional method of slash disposal
may be used, except in Type A or B Wetlands, wetland management zones, and RMZ
core and inner zones, Type Np RMZs, sensitive sites, and on sites where the
department determines that a particular method would cause unreasonable risk to
leave trees, public resources or site productivity. Conventional methods of
slash disposal include the following: Controlled broadcast burning; pile or
windrow and burn; pile or windrow without burning; mechanical scatter and
compaction; scarification; chip, mulch or lop and scatter; burying; and
physical removal from the forest lands: Provided, That on land shown to have
low productivity potential the landowner or operator shall obtain the
department's approval of its regeneration plan prior to utilizing controlled
broadcast burning as a slash disposal technique. In riparian management inner
zones, slash disposal shall be by hand, unless approved by the department.
Slash disposal methods that employ machine piling, mechanical scatter and/or
compaction, scarification or other techniques that result in soil disturbance
shall not be allowed in equipment limitation zones. Scarification shall not be
allowed within wetlands. Machine piling is not allowed in Type A and B
Wetlands. Department approval, through a burning permit, is required for
burning within an equipment limitation zone.
(b) All slash burning requires a burning
permit from the department which provides for compliance with the smoke
management plan and reasonable care to protect Type A and B Wetlands, wetland
management zones, riparian management zones, equipment limitation zones, soil,
residual timber, public resources, and other property.
(3)
Slash isolation, reduction, or
abatement is required when the department determines there is an extreme
fire hazard according to law (see chapter 332-24 WAC).
(4)
Slash disposal is required
where the forest landowner has applied for and been granted an extension of
time for reforestation on the grounds that slash disposal is necessary or
desirable before reforestation.
(5)
Removing slash and debris from streams.
"Slash" or "debris" which can reasonably be expected to cause significant damage to the public resource shall be removed from Type S, F or Np Waters, to above the 100-year flood level and left in a location or manner minimizing risk of re-entry into the stream, lake or pond and if substantial accumulations of slash exist below the 100-year flood level of Type S, F or Np Waters, slash disposal is required. See WAC 222-16-025(4) for general provisions that apply to forest practices hydraulic projects in Type S and F Waters, and board manual section 4, Guidelines for clearing slash and debris from Type Np and Ns Waters.
(6)
Fire trails.
(a) Construct drainage structures as needed
to control erosion.
(b) Reasonable
care shall be taken to minimize excavation during fire trail construction and
sidecast shall only be permitted above the 100-year flood level.
(c) Fire trails shall not be located within
Type A or B Wetlands, wetland management zones, equipment limitation zones or
riparian zones without prior written approval of the department. Hand
constructed fire trails are preferred within forested wetlands. When machine
built fire trails are necessary for control of burning, trail width and
excavation shall be minimized.
(7)
Disturbance avoidance for northern
spotted owls. Burning within a SOSEA boundary shall not be allowed
within 0.25 mile of a northern spotted owl site center between March 1st and
August 31st, provided that, this restriction shall not apply if:
(a) The landowner demonstrates that the owls
are not actively nesting during the current nesting season; or
(b) The forest practice is operating in
compliance with a plan or agreement developed for the protection of the
northern spotted owl under WAC
222-16-080(6)(a), (e), or
(f).
(8)
Disturbance avoidance for marbled
murrelets. Slash disposal or prescribed burning shall not be allowed
within 0.25 mile of an occupied marbled murrelet site during the critical
nesting season, provided that, this restriction shall not apply if the forest
practice is operating in compliance with a plan or agreement developed for the
protection of the marbled murrelet under WAC
222-16-080(6)(a) or
(c).
Notes
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