Cleanup Contractor at INL Site Prepares for Wildland Fire Season

A wildland fire danger sign outside the Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project at the Idaho National Laboratory Site notifies employees of "very high" fire danger. Increased fire risk requires that employees follow certain fieldwork restrictions.

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho - U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM) contractor Idaho Environmental Coalition (IEC) is helping prevent wildland fires at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site.

Collaborating with the laboratory's onsite fire officials, IEC personnel are taking preventative actions during fire season to ensure the protection of personnel, the environment and facilities in the event of an actual wildland fire at the INL Site. IEC supports wildland fire vegetation assessments, reducing fuel loads, ensuring portions of land that serve as barriers to potential fire are maintained, educating employees and reinforcing procedures.

At its facilities, IEC coordinates fire prevention efforts with the INL Fire Department, which oversees fire and emergency operations there. This coordination begins with enforcing the mitigation procedures for IEC's preparedness and prevention activities and supplementing those created by the fire department.

In early summer, an annual wildland fire vegetation assessment is performed with the fire department. During the evaluation, fire department representatives inspect the inside perimeter of IEC facilities to ensure the removal of combustibles, like vegetation or tumbleweeds.

The assessments play a part in establishing strips of land without vegetation that form a barrier between facilities and potential wildland fires. Between 30 and 50 feet wide, these areas are created around each facility located on the INL Site and along the roads and highways.

Robert Nii, IEC fire marshal, recognizes that this coordination has led to successful fire prevention efforts at the INL Site.

"Major fire events at the INL Site are not frequent, but it's clear that these activities are immensely successful," said Nii. "Vegetation assessments at our facilities and properly managed defensible areas have protected buildings, facilities, our employees, and created a safe environment for firefighters to effectively do their job."

IEC's fire mitigation procedures also involve the company's most important asset - the workforce. As fire risk increases throughout the season, cleanup employees at the INL Site are required to follow certain restrictions. This includes carrying a shovel and fire extinguisher while performing field work, limiting vehicle use to designated roads and trails, and receiving written approval from the IEC fire marshal to conduct "hot" work, like welding and cutting.

While the most significant fire risk on the INL Site is lightning strikes, Nii recognizes the important role people play in preventing wildland fires.

"Our fire prevention activities would not be as successful without the commitment, cooperation and heightened awareness of our workforce," said Nii.

The INL Site sits on 890 square miles of an expansive sagebrush steppe landscape in eastern Idaho. The dry desert climate of the region creates an increased risk of fires, especially during the wildland fire season, which is generally considered to begin in May and last through October. During that period, precipitation levels fall and vegetation dries out.

The most recent major wildland fire at the INL Site was the 2019 Sheep Fire, which burned 112,107 acres. The INL Fire Department, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, and additional support agencies successfully contained the fire within a week of ignition, and fire mitigation practices prevented serious damage to INL Site facilities. Wildland fire events like the Sheep Fire allow EM, its contractors at the INL Site, and the INL Fire Department to evaluate continually improving mitigation and response procedures to ensure people, property, and the environment are protected.

-Contributor: Carter Harrison