Prescribed Prairie Burns
It’s hard to believe that the ground will ever be dry enough to carry a fire. Even so, at Belwin we have been busily preparing for the prescribed burn season this spring. Fire is one of our most effective tools and it takes a lot of planning to do it safely and correctly.
The prairies native to this region cannot survive without periodic fire. Without it, these landscapes become choked with brush that drives out the grasses and wildflowers native to the area. Even beyond the simple cleansing effect of a fire, recently burned areas are healthier and grow more strongly in subsequent years. These are complicated systems and even something so simple as ash plays an important role by providing nutrients and lengthening our short growing season by capturing the sun’s warmth in the newly darkened ground.
The purple hue of Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) in the late summer makes it one of the most recognizable grasses in our tallgrass prairie. This clump-forming species is also one of the most common, and it is a great example of how native prairie plants are so well adapted for fire. The bulk of a Big Bluestem plant can be found below ground in its extensive root system, which can reach nine feet deep. Because so much of its biomass is protected, it is able to regenerate quickly after a fire by sending up new shoots. This common fire adaptation is not found in nonnative and invasive species. Many of these plants are severely weakened after a fire due to their lack of protected energy reserves. When restoring native prairie, prescribed burns can be used to tip the scales in favor of native species.
Most of the preparation for a prescribed burn occurs far in advance. First, decisions are made about which areas will be burned. The frequency and timing is defined in the management plans drafted for Belwin’s property. This along with the current health and burn history of the unit, is used to decide where to burn in a given year. In 2008 Belwin is planning to conduct prescribed burns on over 180 acres of our property. Next, state and local permits must be applied for. These permits include considerations for fuel type (i.e. grass, wood, leaves), topography, weather, smoke management, personnel and equipment.
Safety is of paramount importance when we conduct prescribed burns. To this end, all of our equipment including water pumps and backpacks, torches, vehicles and safety equipment is inspected. In addition, all of our burn crews are lead by staff certified in wildland firefighting. We will inspect our firebreaks and as required, create new ones around the areas to be burned. All of this preparation is essential so that we are ready to safely conduct the burn when we have the proper weather conditions.
Ignition usually occurs on the downwind edge of the burn unit. The firebreak is soaked with water and a backfire is lit. The fire backs slowly into the wind until enough material has been burned from the downwind edges of the burn unit. At this point, the upwind edge of the unit can be ignited. Generally the fire moves very rapidly downwind until it encounters the backfire. When the two fire-lines meet, the fire will largely extinguish itself as it runs out of fuel. The on site crews will then extinguish any remaining patches. From beginning to end, this whole process can take only a few minutes.
It is a lot of time and energy to prepare for something that lasts so short a time, however, prescribed burning is one of the most effective and efficient management strategies available, and we want to do it well. For more information on when and where we will be conducting prescribed burns in 2008, please visit the burn page.