HIGH SPEED DISC SAW BMPs DURING FIRE SEASON

Created 1/17/2008

The purpose of these Best Management Practices for high-speed disc saws (commonly known as “Hotsaws”) comes as a consequence of the 2007 fire season.  During the ’07 fire season there were a number of small fires and one large fire that were started by feller-bunchers utilizing hot saws.  A combination of drought and fuel loading has increased the severity of catastrophic fire in this state.  This emphasizes the importance of minimizing the fire hazards on your logging operation.  These guidelines are intended to work like Montana’s Logging Best Management Practices, which are voluntary but manage to maintain a compliance rate of close to 100%.   These voluntary guidelines are intended to mitigate most of the fire hazards caused by high-speed disc saws during fire season.

1.      Keep the teeth sharp on the high-speed disc saw; dull teeth are much more likely to burn and thus cause a fire ignition.  The tree plate also needs to be installed properly and inspected for cracks.  If it is broken, the weight of a tree can push the plate onto the saw and cause sparking; or material can get between the disc and the plate and cause burning.  

2.      When cutting small trees and using the accumulator, don’t overload the accumulator which can cause burning when the butts of the accumulated trees are in contact with the turning saw.

3.      If the saw (teeth or bottom of the disk) comes in contact with the ground or a rock; shut the machine down and get out and walk around; look and smell for signs of smoke.

4.      If saw burning occurs especially on dead trees; get out and make sure an ignition won’t occur or stay in the area to make sure it’s not going to cause a fire.

5.      As with other track machines be aware when walking over and climbing over rock that a fire has not been ignited.

6.      In addition to a fire extinguisher, the hotsaw machine must have either a 5-gallon backpack pump filled with water or two 2-gallon water containers filled with water and capable of being pressurized; and a usable fire tool. (Rule IV, Montana Forest Fire Rules & Regulations.

7.      After completing the work day, a fire patrol should be completed by a person with a fire tool and some means of communication.  A pair of binoculars would also be advisable for spotting smoke on the unit. This patrol shall include a walk throughout the unit where the hotsaw operated that day.

8.      If possible, keep the skidding machines close behind the feller-buncher; this should make a fire more accessible and easier to extinguish when there are fewer piles on the ground.

9.       If water is not readily available on a job (lake or stream) additional water should be available on the job to refill backpack pumps.

  These voluntary guidelines are not conclusive rules that will prevent fire ignitions by a high-speed disc saws during fire season, but will address a majority of the causes of fire started by this variety of feller-bunchers.  As professional loggers it is up to the operators to address any additional fire safety concerns on a machine or logging job. It is also imperative to report all fire ignitions on your logging job.  This practice will reduce the chances of a fire getting away or not getting put all the way out and showing up again at a later date.