Prescribed Burning

Fire on Hillside Belwin has been conducting prescribed burns on its property for several decades. These burns are an essential tool for us as we restore and preserve our property. We are planning to conduct several burns in April and May of 2009.

The exact date and time for these burns cannot be determined in advance. They will be conducted only when both the conditions on the ground and the weather are appropriate. No spring burns will be conducted after the end of May. All of Belwin’s prescribed burns are permitted by the DNR and the fire department; and are conducted by staff certified in wildland firefighting.


Location of planned 2009 prescribed burns.

Fire is one of the most effective and efficient management tools that we have and it is an essential part of a prairie’s ecology. The burns that Belwin has been conducting over the years have been a key part of our success in restoring our land and controlling invasive species.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. This page will be updated on the days prescribed burns will be conducted.

Updates

  • May 4, 2009 - Today should be the last prescribed burns that we do this spring. We are planning to burn several areas near Division Street in the bison prairie. We are maybe going to look at another area near Valley Creek Trail, time permitting. Update: We completed burns in the bison prairie, and we are now done conducting prescribed burns for the season. Thank you!
  • April 28, 2009 - We are conducting some prescribed burns today. Update: We burned three areas today: an area on Valley Creek Trail, on our Sauers Pond Site and a portion of the bison prairie. We still have several more areas to do, but our burns for today are complete.
  • April 24, 2009 - We will be conducting some more prescribed burns today. The burns will be located at the south portion of our property. Depending on conditions we may look at conducting one more at the north end of the property. Update: Burns are complete for today. We hope to do more next week if the weather is favorable.
  • April 22, 2009 - The conditions are finally right today and we are planning to conduct prescribed burns at locations throughout the Belwin Conservancy preserve. Update: We had a very successful day conducing burns at the Belwin Conservancy. We conducted a prescribed burn at both the southern and northernmost portions of our property as well as Kettelkamp Prairie. We still have more prescribed burns to do, but the weather tomorrow does not look favorable. Our next window will be this Friday.
  • April 21, 2009 - The weather has been conspiring to keep us from beginning the burning season. Last week was too dry to burn safely. That has changed thanks to the small amount of rain we received, but today it is too windy. We are hoping to start as soon as all the conditions are right some time this week.
  • April 15, 2009 - Depending on weather, we may begin conducting burns this week.

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