Forestry K3: Plant communities

Two seasons for prescribed burning

• Summer burning conditions prevail from June through October

• Winter burning conditions: November through March

• No burning should be done in April or May → possible harm of young wildlife

burning over mixed pine-hardwood stand

use dry fuel (10-30% moisture content) and high wind velocity

weather for burning

Burning generally can be done one to 10 days after rain

Safe and effective range of humidity: 30% to 60%

Air temperature: not that important but 40 degrees to 80 degrees F may be suitable

Wind direction and velocity: Ideal conditions: strong, steady wind from north-northwest; Wind velocities from 3-10 miles per hour; NEVER try to burn when there is no wind at all → excessive butt and crown scorch

Most prescribed burning is done in daytime (10am to 6pm)

when might night burning be required

• Very young stands

• Draped fuel problems

• There is slash on the ground from thinning

Backfire

Fire is set on windward side of a control line → backs into the wind

1. stable weather

2. Relatively easy and safe to do and causes minimum scorch

3. Used for fuel reduction and hardwood control

Strip headfire

First establish downwind control line or burned area → short stripes of headfire run with the wind

1. Can be used in cool weather when humidity and fuel moisture are relatively high and wind velocity is low

2. fast and cheap and flexible

3. Used in winter for brownspot control and fuel reduction

Flank fire

Fire set directly into the wind and burns slowly at right angles to the wind

1. Requires constant wind direction and no interior fire lines needed

2. Used in medium fuels or in larger timber usually in winter → speedy or to supplement other burning method

Spot fires

After downwind control line established → series of spot fires 30-100 ft apart set in rows and spaced

Checkerboard of fires that burn in all directions

1. Can burn large area in short time; fast

2. Takes skill

3. Only use in uniform fuel and relatively large timber and in cool weather

what fires should inexperienced burned NOT use

Caution: Inexperienced burners should not use strip headfire or flank fire and instead always use backfire

how many acres of MS is covered with forestland?

More than 18 million acres of MS is covered with forestland

• ½ of this is either pine or pine-hardwood mix

the fire environment

The Fire environment can be defined by surrounding conditions and influences that determine wildlife behavior. 

• Weather

• Topography

• Fuels

defensible space

 is the area b/w a house or other structure and an oncoming wildfire

Six Steps to Creating an Effective Defensible Space

Step 1: Determine the slope and vegetative cover of your land

Step 2: Remove dead vegetation

Step 3: Break up continuous vegetation

Step 4: Remove “ladder fuels”
Step 5: Maintain at least 30 feet around your house that is lean, clean, and green

Step 6: Maintain vegetation within your defensible space

ladder fuels

“Ladder fuel” are vegetation that lets fire move from lower to higher areas

Vertical separation of three times the height of the lower fuel layer is recommended