Ikes Fire Grows Due To Warmer, Drier Weather

GRAND CANYON – The Ikes Fire has grown to 85 acres due to warmer, drier weather over the past few days. An increase in fire activity is occurring on south facing slopes due to more direct sunlight allowing vegetation to dry out from recent monsoonal activity. Fire continues to spread along the forest floor through the understory and duff layer.

Approximately 40 personnel are assigned to the Ikes Fire. Firefighters are working to improve control lines along the National Park Service W4 Road and Forest Road 223. These roads serve as the southern and northern boundaries of the fire’s planning area. Over the coming days firefighters may conduct firing operations in order to keep fire activity at a low to moderate intensity. This method is used to strengthen control lines by decreasing the amount of vegetation available to the Ikes Fire as it naturally spreads toward the designated planning area boundaries. Firing operations are weather dependent and may produce smoke visible to the North and South Rims of the Grand Canyon.

The Ikes Fire, which started on July 25th due to lightning strike, is located 3 miles east of

Swamp Point on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. The fire is less than 1 mile south of the boundary with the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest. Closures remain in effect for the Ikes Fire and more information can be found at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/6475/.

Fire managers will continue the strategy of confinement and containment for the Ikes Fire planning area while providing for point protection of identified sensitive natural and cultural resources. The Ikes Fire poses no danger to structures or local infrastructure.

Over the weekend, Grand Canyon identified 3 lightning caused fires. The Royal Fire, Sinkhole Fire, and Outlet Fire located on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park are 100% contained due to full suppression tactics. Suppression tactics include firefighters building containment line around the perimeter and receiving aerial support from helicopter bucket drops. The Outlet Fire may produce visible smoke to the west of the North Rim Lodge.

Workforce Flexibility act may give temporary DOI employees competitive edge

500px-US-DeptOfTheInterior-Seal.svgWASHINGTON — The Land Management Workforce Flexibility act, H.R. 1531, has been signed into law. It is now Public Law No: 114-47. The bill was submitted by Representative Gerald Connolly [D-VA-11].

The Workforce Flexibility act makes an employee of specified land management agencies in the Department of the Interior serving under a time-limited, including a temporary, appointment in the competitive service eligible to compete for a permanent appointment in any land management agency or any other agency if:
(1) the original appointment was competitive,
(2) the employee has served under one or more time-limited appointments totaling more than 24 months without a break of two or more years, and
(3) the employee’s performance has been at an acceptable level.

It also provides that an individual appointed under the provisions of this Act becomes a career-conditional employee and acquires competitive status upon appointment.

The agency determining the eligibility of time-limited employees are required to waive age requirements for these employees unless age is essential to the performance of the duties of the position.

The law defines a former employee of a land management agency who served under a time-limited appointment and who otherwise meets applicable requirements to be a time-limited employee for purposes of this Act if:
(1) such employee applies for a position covered by this Act within two years after the most recent date of separation, and
(2) such employee’s most recent separation was for reasons other than misconduct or performance.

Persons interested in career positions in the Department of the Interior should check with Human Resources for more information.

Bill to allow certain temporary government employees to be eligible to compete for permanent positions in Senate.

WASHINGTON — H.R.1531, the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act, would allow employees serving in the Department of the Interior on a lime-limited basis eligible to compete for permanent positions within the agency. The bill passed the House on July 7 and moved to the Senate on the 8th.

The House bill was submitted to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs without amendments or reports. It was placed on the Senate legislative calendar yesterday.

The measure would allow employees in certain positions of the Department of the Interior to compete for permanent positions if they have served in temporary competitive service in one or more time-limited appointment for more than 24-months without a break of two, or more, years and the employee performance has been acceptable.

Temporary employees who were separated not more than two years who otherwise meets the eligibility of this measure would be allowed to compete for permanent positions if their separation was not for misconduct or poor performance.

The bill would require the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) or other examining agency, in determining the eligibility of a time-limited employee to be examined for or appointed in the competitive service. The person would becomes a career-conditional employee and acquire competitive status upon appointment.

The bill would waive age requirements for appointees under this measure unless the age requirement is essential to the performance of the duties of a particular position.