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Learn about some of the agencies involved when planning a prescribed burn.

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Prescribed fire may be used to maintain a cultural landscape, such as on a battlefield.
NPS Photo

Prescribed Fire

The National Park Service uses prescribed fire as a vegetation management tool to accomplish natural and cultural resource goals.

Before any prescribed fire is permitted, the park must have a strategic Fire Management Plan in place, as well as an specific burn plan. Before ignition, each planned fire must meet all the conditions identified in a go/no go checklist. When prescribed fire is not the best option, fire managers may accomplish hazard fuel reduction with mechanical treatments using chainsaws and manual removal, or through other methods.

Prescribed burns are ignited to:

reduce hazardous fuel loads near developed areas, providing for firefighter safety and structure protection in the event of a wildfire.

restore and maintain natural landscapes, such as the giant sequoia trees of Sequoia National Park and the "river of grass" at Everglades National Park.

maintain cultural landscapes, such as historic battlefields and homesteads.

Prescribed Fire - Case Study

What is the process behind using fire as a management tool? Learn all that goes into planning and executing a prescribed fire.

The Interagency Prescribed Fire Planning and Implementation Procedures Guide provides standardized procedures, specifically associated with the planning and implementation of prescribed fire.

The Prescribed Fire Plan is the site-specific implementation document. It is a legal document that provides the park superintendent the information needed to approve the plan, and the prescribed fire burn boss with all the information needed to implement the prescribed fire. Prescribed fire projects must be implemented in compliance with the written plan.

Fire Effects Information System

The Fire Effects Information System (FEIS) summarizes and synthesizes research about the effects of fire on plants and animals in the United States. It is used extensively by fire managers when planning and evaluating prescribed burns.

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Wildfires, Prescribed Fires, and Fuels - Wildland Fire Program (U.S. National Park Service)

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Prescribed Fire The National Park Service uses prescribed fire as a vegetation management tool to accomplish natural and cultural resource goals. Before any prescribed fire is permitted, the park must have a strategic Fire Management Plan in place, as well as an specific burn plan.

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What is a community that has "adapted" to fire?

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The Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network was launched in 2013 to connect and support people and communities who are striving to live more safely with wildfire. FAC Net is a catalyst for developing and spreading best practices and innovations in fire adaptation nationwide. Visit their website to learn more.

Fire is a natural part of our environment. As we choose to live in areas where wildfires occur, we must adapt the way we design, build and live in these areas so that communities are resilient to inevitable wildfires.The more actions a community takes, the more fire-adapted it may become. Actions and characteristics of a fire-adapted community may include:

Adequate local fire suppression capacity to meet most community protection needs;

Structures and landscaping designed, constructed, retrofitted and maintained in a manner that is ignition resistant;

Local codes (building, planning, zoning and fire prevention) that require ignition-resistant home design and building materials;

Fuels (vegetation) on land near and inside the community are treated and maintained for safety ;

A comprehensive Community Wildfire Protection Plan that is being used; and

Other safety features, such as buffers between fuels and the community; designated evacuation routes; and safe zones in the community for when evacuation is not advisable.

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The Conservation Gateway | The Nature Conservancy

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The Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network was launched in 2013 to connect and support people and communities who are striving to live more safely with wildfire. FAC Net is a catalyst for developing and spreading best practices and innovations in fire adaptation nationwide. Visit their website to learn more.

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Smokey Bear talks about the benefits of fires!

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Fire's Legacy

The use of fire as a means for cooking, heating and hunting was one of the first major developments of human civilization. Fire is one of nature's most essential agents of change, and mankind has often used fire in this capacity.

Fire can also be an important part of maintaining diverse and healthy ecosystems. Nearly every region in the country has some kind of fire-dependent plant or tree. Many plants have evolved adaptations that protect them as a species against the effects of fire, and some are even strengthened by it. When fires burn in intervals appropriate to their ecosystem, they consume leaf litter and other ground vegetation like dead wood. This can trigger a rebirth of forests, helping to maintain native plant species.

Ecosystems that are dependent on fire to thin the forest canopy and cultivate the forest floor are slowly transformed without enough natural fire. Sunlight-dependent native plant species are overtaken by those that like shade, and the whole ecosystem becomes less diverse, more dense from undergrowth, and littered with dead plant material.

Fire managers can reintroduce fire into fire-dependent ecosystems with prescribed fire. Under specific, controlled conditions, the beneficial effects of natural fire can be recreated, fuel buildup can be reduced, and we can prevent the catastrophic losses of uncontrolled, unwanted wildfire.

Regardless of the benefits of occasional natural fires under specific conditions, remember Smokey's ABCs: Always Be Careful with fire. Smokey wants you to be responsible when you use fire. It is still wrong and irresponsible to play with matches, throw lighted cigarettes away, or use equipment without proper spark arrestors, or leave any kind of fire unattended.

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Regular, natural fires can be an important part of maintaining healthy ecosystems and preventing raging wildfires.

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Would you pass this test to work on the ground crew?

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Fire management is both physically and mentally demanding. Working in the fire environment can entail long hours of arduous work, and split-second decision making. Don't be misguided by a sense of inactivity on prescribed fires. If things go wrong, your physical fitness level may determine not only the containment of a spot-over or escape, but also your personal safety. During a busy burn season, physical fitness can also reduce your risk of colds or respiratory infection by keeping your immune system operating effectively.

Of course there are other benefits to physical fitness, including reduced risk of heart disease and osteoporosis, greater strength in bones, tendons and muscle, and reduced risk of injury. Aerobic and muscular fitness can even make your leisure time more enjoyable.

Physical Fitness and Work Capacity Tests
The USDA Forest Service began studying job performance requirements in 1965 in order to define minimum fitness standards for its firefighters. Based on their results, researchers developed tests focused on aerobic capacity: the ability to take in, transport and use oxygen. These tests are referred to as physical fitness tests. For many years, the Step Test and 1.5 Mile Run were the two commonly used physical fitness tests.

The Step Test involves stepping up and down on a box of gender-specific height for 5 minutes. It is a submaximal test of cardiovascular performance, so is less risky for individuals who may have a less than optimal fitness level. The score is based on post-exercise pulse rate, adjusted for age, weight and gender. It is quick and easy to administer.

For the 1.5 Mile Run test, the participants must run this distance over flat terrain in a given time. A disadvantage of this test is that it demands near maximal effort, so should not be attempted by the unfit or inactive individual. Although the test measures cardiovascular performance, it may not be as accurate as the step test since it may be influenced by factors such as power and speed.

The Pack Test incorporates additional criteria, such as strength and endurance. Because this test measures the ability to perform a task, it is considered a work capacity test. The Pack Test consists of walking a flat course carrying a weighted pack. The distance and weight of the back depend on the fitness level the participant is testing for: arduous, moderate or light. An advantage of the test is that it is similar to actual fireline work. Since it simply measures a person's ability to do the job, there is no adjustment for age, weight or gender. A disadvantage of the test is that it requires more time and equipment to administer. Additional information.

Minimum Fitness Standards
Each agency or organization sets its own standards for fitness, although many federal agencies adhere to the standards set by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group. Some agencies are in a state of transition as they incorporate the Pack Test into their programs. The following standards are accepted by many agencies. Prescribed fire fitness levels are lower because they tend not to require such prolonged periods of hard work. (Keep in mind that many federal agencies call in firefighter-qualified crews if a prescribed burn becomes a wildfire.)

Preparing to Take the Test
If you are over age 40 and physically inactive, you should consult your doctor and embark on a training program before attempting any of the physical fitness tests. The publication Fitness and Work Capacity (Second Edition, USDA Forest Service, Missoula Technology and Development Center; 9751-2814-MTDC) includes the PAR-Q questionnaire (page 42) designed to identify individuals who should seek medical advice before involvement in moderate activity. It is also an excellent resource for information on nutrition, muscular and aerobic fitness, stretching and conditioning exercises, and how to take the Pack Test. Even those who are physically fit will benefit from some training with the various tests.

Publications
Fitness and Work Capacity, 2nd edition. This recent NWCG publication provides broad coverage of the topic. It includes sections on aerobic and muscular fitness as they relate to work capacity, nutrition and environmental factors, and health and safety. It provides instructions for conducting the Pack Test, and detailed training programs for conditioning to pass the test.

This publication can be purchased from the National Interagency Fire Center (phone 208-387-5542, fax 208-387-5573). The reference number is NFES 1596.

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The Conservation Gateway | The Nature Conservancy

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Fire management is both physically and mentally demanding. Working in the fire environment can entail long hours of arduous work, and split-second decision making. Don't be misguided by a sense of inactivity on prescribed fires. If things go wrong, your physical fitness level may determine not only the containment of a spot-over or escape, but also your personal safety.

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Check out this link, in particular the "Interface" tab!

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Forest Health

Prescribed fire promotes the health of forests, prairies and rangelands by reducing vegetative competition for nutrients, water and sunlight and by controlling the spread of disease and insect infestations. It also promotes the growth of new forage and succulent plants-important sources of food for many wildlife species.

Rejuvenates soil

There are many factors that that determine whether fire will have beneficial or adverse effects on soil. Frequency, duration and intensity of the fire are just a few.

Fire is a natural disturbance, but it also rejuvenates the habitat. It returns the nutrients that are tied up in the vegetation, it returns that material to the soil, and you get new regrowth and lush vegetation that's beneficial for wildlife and keeps the habitat healthy over the long term. The nutrients released in fires are almost all held and used at the site by plant roots, micro-organisms and the soil.

Too hot a fire can cause excessive nutrient loss when all fuels are consumed and when soil organisms and plant roots are killed.

Effects on water

Prescribed burning increases the quantity of water by removing thick shrubs and overgrown vegetation. With fewer plants absorbing water, the streams are fuller, benefiting other plants and animals.

Prescribed burning also helps maintain clean drinking water and reduces the amount of moisture that evaporates from plants into the air. This increases the quantity and improves the quality of water soaking into the ground replenishing aquifers.

Historically even wetland areas burned in times of dry weather or when high winds carried flames over wet ground and the water surface. Today, prescribed fires in wetlands are an important tool for controlling weeds.

Increases diversity

Prescribed burning increases vegetative diversity and attracts a wider variety of birds and animals. It also helps perpetuate many endangered plant species.

Manages competing vegetation

Depending upon the desired composition and diversity of the forest or land, the judicious use of prescribed fire can manage the competition for water, nutrients and growing space.

Perpetuates fire-dependent species and native vegetation

Use of prescribed fire encourages new growth of native vegetation and maintains the many plant and animal species whose habitats depend on periodic fire.

Improves wildlife habitat

Prescribed burning stimulates seed germination of many species and provides open conditions at ground level for travel, loafing and feeding by game bird broods, rabbits and ground-feeding songbirds. The responding groundcover provides forage, soft mast and seed eaten by many birds, mammals and reptiles. Prescribed burning also influences the composition and structure of cover available for wildlife.

Prescribed fire is highly recommended for wildlife habitat management where loblolly, shortleaf, longleaf, or slash pine is the primary over story species. Periodic fire is beneficial for under story species that provide browse for wildlife.

Fire benefits numerous wildlife species. Whitetail deer are a good example of a species that thrives after fire. In habitats where fire has been suppressed over a long period of time, all the vegetation growth eventually gets out of reach for a deer. After a fire, a lot of the vegetation is brought back down to ground level within reach and it's more nutritious and the deer are much more healthy. In our grassland habitats, prairieland chickens, quail, they thrive in post-fire environments. It provides a variety of food, attracts various insects that they require.

Controls insects and disease

Prescribed fire helps reduce some fungal diseases such as root rot since it affects the makeup of the forest floor. It most likely does this by destroying some of the fruiting bodies and cauterizing tree stumps. But not all fungal disease is controlled by prescribed fire. Generally, these fires do not heat the soil enough to stop or destroy some soil-borne fungus and disease.

Prescribed fire is the most effective and practical means of controlling brown spot disease in longleaf pine seedlings and cone insects such as the white pine cone beetle.

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Forest Health Prescribed fire promotes the health of forests, prairies and rangelands by reducing vegetative competition for nutrients, water and sunlight and by controlling the spread of disease and insect infestations. It also promotes the growth of new forage and succulent plants-important sources of food for many wildlife species.

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Check out this link, in particular the "Forest Health" tab!

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Forest Health

Prescribed fire promotes the health of forests, prairies and rangelands by reducing vegetative competition for nutrients, water and sunlight and by controlling the spread of disease and insect infestations. It also promotes the growth of new forage and succulent plants-important sources of food for many wildlife species.

Rejuvenates soil

There are many factors that that determine whether fire will have beneficial or adverse effects on soil. Frequency, duration and intensity of the fire are just a few.

Fire is a natural disturbance, but it also rejuvenates the habitat. It returns the nutrients that are tied up in the vegetation, it returns that material to the soil, and you get new regrowth and lush vegetation that's beneficial for wildlife and keeps the habitat healthy over the long term. The nutrients released in fires are almost all held and used at the site by plant roots, micro-organisms and the soil.

Too hot a fire can cause excessive nutrient loss when all fuels are consumed and when soil organisms and plant roots are killed.

Effects on water

Prescribed burning increases the quantity of water by removing thick shrubs and overgrown vegetation. With fewer plants absorbing water, the streams are fuller, benefiting other plants and animals.

Prescribed burning also helps maintain clean drinking water and reduces the amount of moisture that evaporates from plants into the air. This increases the quantity and improves the quality of water soaking into the ground replenishing aquifers.

Historically even wetland areas burned in times of dry weather or when high winds carried flames over wet ground and the water surface. Today, prescribed fires in wetlands are an important tool for controlling weeds.

Increases diversity

Prescribed burning increases vegetative diversity and attracts a wider variety of birds and animals. It also helps perpetuate many endangered plant species.

Manages competing vegetation

Depending upon the desired composition and diversity of the forest or land, the judicious use of prescribed fire can manage the competition for water, nutrients and growing space.

Perpetuates fire-dependent species and native vegetation

Use of prescribed fire encourages new growth of native vegetation and maintains the many plant and animal species whose habitats depend on periodic fire.

Improves wildlife habitat

Prescribed burning stimulates seed germination of many species and provides open conditions at ground level for travel, loafing and feeding by game bird broods, rabbits and ground-feeding songbirds. The responding groundcover provides forage, soft mast and seed eaten by many birds, mammals and reptiles. Prescribed burning also influences the composition and structure of cover available for wildlife.

Prescribed fire is highly recommended for wildlife habitat management where loblolly, shortleaf, longleaf, or slash pine is the primary over story species. Periodic fire is beneficial for under story species that provide browse for wildlife.

Fire benefits numerous wildlife species. Whitetail deer are a good example of a species that thrives after fire. In habitats where fire has been suppressed over a long period of time, all the vegetation growth eventually gets out of reach for a deer. After a fire, a lot of the vegetation is brought back down to ground level within reach and it's more nutritious and the deer are much more healthy. In our grassland habitats, prairieland chickens, quail, they thrive in post-fire environments. It provides a variety of food, attracts various insects that they require.

Controls insects and disease

Prescribed fire helps reduce some fungal diseases such as root rot since it affects the makeup of the forest floor. It most likely does this by destroying some of the fruiting bodies and cauterizing tree stumps. But not all fungal disease is controlled by prescribed fire. Generally, these fires do not heat the soil enough to stop or destroy some soil-borne fungus and disease.

Prescribed fire is the most effective and practical means of controlling brown spot disease in longleaf pine seedlings and cone insects such as the white pine cone beetle.

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Forest Health Prescribed fire promotes the health of forests, prairies and rangelands by reducing vegetative competition for nutrients, water and sunlight and by controlling the spread of disease and insect infestations. It also promotes the growth of new forage and succulent plants-important sources of food for many wildlife species.

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Check out this link, in particular the "Economic Gain" tab!

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Forest Health

Prescribed fire promotes the health of forests, prairies and rangelands by reducing vegetative competition for nutrients, water and sunlight and by controlling the spread of disease and insect infestations. It also promotes the growth of new forage and succulent plants-important sources of food for many wildlife species.

Rejuvenates soil

There are many factors that that determine whether fire will have beneficial or adverse effects on soil. Frequency, duration and intensity of the fire are just a few.

Fire is a natural disturbance, but it also rejuvenates the habitat. It returns the nutrients that are tied up in the vegetation, it returns that material to the soil, and you get new regrowth and lush vegetation that's beneficial for wildlife and keeps the habitat healthy over the long term. The nutrients released in fires are almost all held and used at the site by plant roots, micro-organisms and the soil.

Too hot a fire can cause excessive nutrient loss when all fuels are consumed and when soil organisms and plant roots are killed.

Effects on water

Prescribed burning increases the quantity of water by removing thick shrubs and overgrown vegetation. With fewer plants absorbing water, the streams are fuller, benefiting other plants and animals.

Prescribed burning also helps maintain clean drinking water and reduces the amount of moisture that evaporates from plants into the air. This increases the quantity and improves the quality of water soaking into the ground replenishing aquifers.

Historically even wetland areas burned in times of dry weather or when high winds carried flames over wet ground and the water surface. Today, prescribed fires in wetlands are an important tool for controlling weeds.

Increases diversity

Prescribed burning increases vegetative diversity and attracts a wider variety of birds and animals. It also helps perpetuate many endangered plant species.

Manages competing vegetation

Depending upon the desired composition and diversity of the forest or land, the judicious use of prescribed fire can manage the competition for water, nutrients and growing space.

Perpetuates fire-dependent species and native vegetation

Use of prescribed fire encourages new growth of native vegetation and maintains the many plant and animal species whose habitats depend on periodic fire.

Improves wildlife habitat

Prescribed burning stimulates seed germination of many species and provides open conditions at ground level for travel, loafing and feeding by game bird broods, rabbits and ground-feeding songbirds. The responding groundcover provides forage, soft mast and seed eaten by many birds, mammals and reptiles. Prescribed burning also influences the composition and structure of cover available for wildlife.

Prescribed fire is highly recommended for wildlife habitat management where loblolly, shortleaf, longleaf, or slash pine is the primary over story species. Periodic fire is beneficial for under story species that provide browse for wildlife.

Fire benefits numerous wildlife species. Whitetail deer are a good example of a species that thrives after fire. In habitats where fire has been suppressed over a long period of time, all the vegetation growth eventually gets out of reach for a deer. After a fire, a lot of the vegetation is brought back down to ground level within reach and it's more nutritious and the deer are much more healthy. In our grassland habitats, prairieland chickens, quail, they thrive in post-fire environments. It provides a variety of food, attracts various insects that they require.

Controls insects and disease

Prescribed fire helps reduce some fungal diseases such as root rot since it affects the makeup of the forest floor. It most likely does this by destroying some of the fruiting bodies and cauterizing tree stumps. But not all fungal disease is controlled by prescribed fire. Generally, these fires do not heat the soil enough to stop or destroy some soil-borne fungus and disease.

Prescribed fire is the most effective and practical means of controlling brown spot disease in longleaf pine seedlings and cone insects such as the white pine cone beetle.

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Forest Health Prescribed fire promotes the health of forests, prairies and rangelands by reducing vegetative competition for nutrients, water and sunlight and by controlling the spread of disease and insect infestations. It also promotes the growth of new forage and succulent plants-important sources of food for many wildlife species.

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So you want to be on the ground-crew... what would you wear?

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Document describing why a prescribed burn is necessary.

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A written prescribed burn plan must be completed before every prescribed burn and provide reasonable assurance that the prescribed burn will be confined to the predetermined area and conducted in a manner that will accomplish the land management objectives.

A written burn plan should at minimum include the following:

Purpose of the burn

Prescribed burn manager information

Burn site information (location, directions, etc.)

Personnel requirements for conducting the burn

A description of areas to be burned (fuel types, typography and previous treatments, number of acres to be burned, etc.)

Pre-burn factors (fireguards, pumpers, crew size, tools and equipment, weather monitors, smoke sensitive areas, special precautions, etc.)

Safety and contingency plans addressing smoke intrusions

A detailed notification list that includes notification requirements for: the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality, local law enforcement, local fire marshal, local emergency coordinator, Department of Public Safety fire coordinator, neighbors, local volunteer fire department, and/or other appropriate entities

Criteria for making burn/no burn decisions

Demonstration of fire suppression ability, proving the ability to have proper fire suppression equipment and manpower to manage the burn

The following prescribed burn plan templates are for your reference:

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prescribed burning plan
burn do not burn list
do not burn checklist

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A written prescribed burn plan must be completed before every prescribed burn and provide reasonable assurance that the prescribed burn will be confined to the predetermined area and conducted in a manner that will accomplish the land management objectives.

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Learn about how to go about the burn day and what to do in the days leading up to it.

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As burn day draws near, keep an eye on the weather. If you see unstable weather, strong winds or low humidity in the forecast, reschedule the burn. Don't take chances with the weather-the wrong conditions can make for a dangerous fire, or one that doesn't meet your objectives.

But if the weather is favorable, your plan is set and your equipment and crew are ready, then you can start your burn. Here's a basic plan for the day that will keep things running smoothly and safely:

Start by assembling your crew and going over the burn plan. Make sure everyone understands his or her role in it. Check your equipment to be certain that everything works.

Set a small test fire in the downwind corner of the burn site to see how the fire behaves and how your crew responds. Handling a small fire will also help everyone get a little more comfortable with the burn process.

With the test fire done, start the actual burn in the downwind corner of the burn site. This first part of your burn should be the "backfire," a fire that burns slowly as it moves against the wind. Then ignite the flank fires, which are parallel to the wind and will burn more quickly. The backfire and flank fires will form an additional firebreak of burned ground, keeping the burn area's perimeter safe as you light the headfires, which are strips of fast-moving fire that do much of the burning. Keep the strips small and manageable; a half-mile-long strip is too long to be safe.

Stay vigilant and go slow. Don't set more fire than your crew can easily control. Be alert to any changes in the wind, the fire's behavior, or the locations and abilities of your crew members. Have at least one crew member check back along to fireline to see if fires have reignited or are creeping across your firebreaks.

Once your burn is done, "mop-up" begins. Make certain the fire is completely out, because even the smallest smoldering ember can cause a wildfire. Drench the area with water or water mixed with detergent, and check the area again one or two days later to make sure nothing has reignited. Don't bury hot coals or embers, because they can continue to burn underground and eventually cause a wildfire.

When the mop-up is complete and you're certain the fire is out, contact your neighbors and any other agencies in your plan to let them know.

Evaluate your work. Did the burn meet your goals? Were there areas where the fire did not behave as expected? Were your firebreaks, safety measures and equipment effective? How did your crew do? Taking stock of your controlled burn will show you where you succeeded, and what changes you can make the next time around to have an even safer and more successful operation.

Because of the risks and extensive preparation involved, many landowners get help planning and conducting their controlled fires. Some local forestry or natural resources agencies even have firefighting equipment you can borrow for your burn. You don't have to go it alone.

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wildfire_resized.jpg Take proper precautions before the burn. Credit: Shutterstock As burn day draws near, keep an eye on the weather. If you see unstable weather, strong winds or low humidity in the forecast, reschedule the burn. Don't take chances with the weather-the wrong conditions can make for a dangerous fire, or one that doesn't meet your objectives.

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Learn how prescribed burns can be done in remote areas with no ground access.

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Fire managers may "prescribe" a treatment for resource benefits or research. This may include lighting a fire in an area for various purposes after careful planning and under controlled conditions.

Wilson's Creek National Battlefield in Missouri, maintained by prescribed fire, commemorates a Civil War battle in 1861.

Prescribed fire is a planned fire; it is also sometimes called a "controlled burn" or "prescribed burn," and is used to meet management objectives. A prescription is a set of conditions that considers the safety of the public and fire staff, weather, and probability of meeting the burn objectives.

Prescribed fire is one of the most important tools used to manage fire today. A scientific prescription for each fire, prepared in advance, describes its objectives, fuels, size, the precise environmental conditions under which it will burn, and conditions under which it may be suppressed. The fire may be designed to create a mosaic of diverse habitats for plants and animals, to help endangered species recover, or to reduce fuels and thereby prevent a destructive fire.

Prescribed fire also can be the most cost-effective way to maintain certain historic scenes. These include the open grasslands of the Revolutionary War era at Saratoga National Historical Park in New York and the oak-prairie savanna of the Civil War era at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield in Missouri.

Prescribed fire at the Revolutionary War-era Saratoga National Historical Park in New York is used to maintain an historic landscape.

In most parks, management-ignited prescribed fires are used instead of lightning-caused fires to manage vegetation. Prescribed burns have been ignited to reduce hazardous fuel loads near developed areas, manage landscapes, restore natural woodlands, and for research purposes. Before any prescribed fires are permitted, the park must complete a fire management plan and a prescribed burn plan. Each prescribed fire must meet all the conditions identified in a go/no-go checklist before ignition. When fire cannot be used, most hazard fuel reduction is accomplished with saws and manual removal, called mechanical treatment. In some cases, it's a multiple-step process in which a mechanical treatment is done first, then the materials are put in piles and burned when the weather allows.

Igniting a prescribed fire by flare gun at Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee. NPS photo by Bob Dellinger.

Hazard fuel reduction around developed areas provides for firefighter safety and structure protection in the event of a wildfire, but also gives the fire management staff greater confidence and a broader prescription to allow natural ignitions to burn their course.

A "ping pong ball device" used to ignite prescribed fire at Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. Series of eight.
NPS photos by Dan Ng

A " ping pong ball device " may be used to ignite a prescribed fire. This is a device installed, but jettisonable, in a helicopter, that injects glycol into a plastic sphere containing potassium permanganate, which is then expelled from the machine and aircraft. This produces an exothermic reaction resulting in ignition of fuels on the ground for prescribed or wildland fire applications.

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Wildland Fire: What is a Prescribed Fire? (U.S. National Park Service)

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Fire managers may "prescribe" a treatment for resource benefits or research. This may include lighting a fire in an area for various purposes after careful planning and under controlled conditions. Prescribed fire is a planned fire; it is also sometimes called a "controlled burn" or "prescribed burn," and is used to meet management objectives.

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This site describes different legal steps taken before beginning a burn.

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Prescribed burning is the controlled application of fire to the land to reduce wildfire hazards, clear downed trees, control plant diseases, improve rangeland and wildlife habitats, and restore natural ecosystems. Sometimes called a controlled burn or prescribed fire, prescribed burning is one of the most important tools used to manage fire today. As catastrophic wildfires continue to be a growing concern in California, the use of prescribed burning to reduce hazardous fuels is projected to increase. Daily burn decisions are issued based on the forecast of air quality and meteorological conditions that can affect smoke dispersion.
More about this program

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Prescribed burning is the controlled application of fire to the land to reduce wildfire hazards, clear downed trees, control plant diseases, improve rangeland and wildlife habitats, and restore natural ecosystems. Sometimes called a controlled burn or prescribed fire, prescribed burning is one of the most important tools used to manage fire today.

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Check out this time-lapse created by The Nature Conservancy!

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How Fire Can Restore a Forest: A Time-Lapse (Tree View)

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A Cool Dude with a Hot Message!

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Burner Bob® is A Cool Dude with a Hot Message™!

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Learn about more benefits of burning!

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Contrary to what we're often taught, fire and forests aren't always a bad combination. Fire can actually renew and reinvigorate your woods by

Clearing dead trees, leaves, branches, and competing vegetation from the forest floor, so new plants can grow and healthy trees can flourish

Controlling the amount of available fuel in your woods, to reduce your risk of a dangerous wildfire

Controlling unwanted trees or plants and invasive species

Breaking down and returning nutrients to the soil to improve its productivity

Releasing seeds and stimulating the growth of fire-dependent tree species, such as lodgepole pine

Promoting wildflower and plant diversity

Improving wood quality for species such as longleaf pine when the lower limbs are "pruned" by the fire

Controlling some insects and disease

Enhancing appearance and access

Improving wildlife habitat by enhancing or maintaining open areas (like prairies or meadows) and encouraging the growth of wild food plants and forage

You can find out if a prescribed fire would benefit your woods by talking to your consulting forester or the local extension service. They'll know if and when a controlled burn is needed in your area.

Fire is a powerful force. It's understandable to be nervous about inviting it into your woods. But don't worry-with the proper planning and preparation, you can enjoy the benefits of burning while keeping yourself and your woods safe. If you're willing to try prescribed fire in your forest, here's what you need to know.

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Contrary to what we're often taught, fire and forests aren't always a bad combination. Fire can actually renew and reinvigorate your woods by Clearing dead trees, leaves, branches, and competing vegetation from the forest floor, so new plants can grow and healthy trees can flourish shutterstock_198599363.jpg Fires can help stimulate new growth in your woods.

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Describes the steps taken before, during, and after a burn.

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Prescribed burns aim to reduce wildfire...

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Prescribed burns aim to reduce wildfire...

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Some residents concerned with timing.

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Thomas Hall hadn't stopped his white U.S. Forest Service pickup next to Tip Top Road long when a driver pulled over to question him about smoke rising from a nearby controlled burn Thursday.

The driver wanted to know why the Forest Service would light the 74-acre fire in hot, dry conditions. Why would they light a fire during a time when many fire fighting agencies still have burn bans in place for private citizens?

"The conditions presented themselves as a good time to get some good ignition, good combustion and good consumption of fuels," Hall said. Controlled burns often take place in spring, but are common in fall as well, when warmer, drier conditions can help fires consume the dead and down vegetation they're set to eliminate.

Still, questions and calls from concerned citizens are common during controlled burns, and Wednesday's operation didn't generate an abnormal amount of anxiety, said Hall, a fire engine captain with the Forest Service's Wenatchee River Ranger District and burn boss trainee for the Camas Meadows burn.

"You get a little nervous, you know, especially with what we went through last year," said Barb Fredrick, who lives along U.S. Highway 97 in Kittitas County and owns property adjacent to national forest land in the Deer Gulch area. "Any burning by the Forest Service is quite nerve-wracking, because I feel that they don't take control of it like they probably should."

The Daily Record heard from residents living as far south as Liberty who were concerned about the burn.

"We knew with the winds that we had forecasted that smoke was going to move into the (U.S. Highway) 97 corridor then move out today," Hall said. He said the Forest Service received reports of smoke from the Ingalls Creek area, Blewett Pass and the Wenatchee Valley.

Hall says Forest Service controlled burn operations are carefully planned and rarely spread out of control. The plans must undergo a fairly significant review before they're approved, and they lay out specific weather conditions needed for each controlled burn operation.

The Camas Meadows burn that caught the public's attention Wednesday required temperatures under 90 degrees, more than 20 percent relative humidity and winds below six miles per hour, Hall said.

Weather at the Camas Meadows burn site stayed within those conditions Wednesday, but the windows of opportunity when fire managers can light controlled burns are short. By Monday, temperatures could drop to 65 degrees, Hall said. Those temperatures could be too cool to allow controlled fires to spread through the area and consume the vegetation fire managers hope to eliminate.

Eliminating some forest vegetation with controlled burns promotes healthier tree stands and improves the health and diversity of forest ecosystems, Hall said. It also reduces the danger of large wildfires.

"It's a place to work from and get started on catching that fire where it may be moving through the heavier fuels that are a little or a lot more difficult to contain and control," Hall said of the fire breaks created by controlled burns.

Some Forest Service officials credited prescribed burns and other forest restoration tools with helping to slow or contain the spread of the 2012 Table Mountain Fire in some parts of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.

The operation that spurred concerns Thursday burned a 74-acre area of Chelan County's Wenatchee River Ranger District near Camas Creek Road, about 10 miles from the Chelan-Kittitas County line. Kittitas County's Cle Elum Ranger District plans to conduct similar burns this year.

District fire managers hope to burn 1,500 acres with low-intensity fire, according to a Forest Service news release. The process could begin near Blewett Pass in the Blue Creek area (across U.S. Highway 97 from the Mineral Springs Resort) Tuesday or Wednesday, Cle Elum Ranger District fuels technician Komiko Nale said. That burn would encompass 90 acres in an area surrounded by Forest Service-managed land. It would involve two fire engines and a crew of at least 20 people working to light fires and keep them controlled. No homes or developed recreation sites exist within a mile of the proposed Blue Creek area burn site, and fire crews conducted a successful burn in the same area last spring, Nale said.

"We had a good combination of keeping trees alive and killing enough trees that we reduced the fire threat," Nale said of last spring's burn near Blue Creek. The burn met all its objectives, Nale said. It didn't kill excess trees but removed enough fuel to reduce the threat of large wildfires and create a fire break that could help slow such a fire's spread.

Additional Cle Elum Ranger District controlled burns could take place in the Reecer Creek area and near the community of Liberty, according to the Forest Service. But crews may not need to burn areas in Reecer Creek due to the Table Mountain Fire, and weather conditions could spur fire managers to wait for spring to burn in the Liberty area, Nale said. Wetter spring conditions may be more conducive to controlled burning in the Liberty area, where fire managers have to carefully weigh the risk of lighting fires near homes in drier fall fuels. Nale says the Forest Service will contact land owners, DNR and Fire District No. 7 before lighting burns in that area.

"We're going to try to do as much (controlled burning) as we can," Nale said. Crews also plan to burn piles of debris leftover from past thinning operations in a number of areas throughout the Cle Elum Ranger District. Smoke from the Cle Elum Ranger District's controlled burns may be visible from U.S. Highway 97, Interstate 90 and the Kittitas Valley, according to the Forest Service.

Right now, crews need more moisture to even light controlled burns in the Blue Creek area after a long, dry, warm summer. Nale says a little additional moisture will help ensure crews don't create small spot fires outside of the designated burn area.

But weather conditions can vary from location to location, and Wentachee River Ranger District fire managers needed drier conditions for their burn in Camas Meadows than the Cle Elum Ranger District wants for its Blue Creek burn, Nale said.

"What was good for them over there would probably not be conducive to burning on the unit we're looking at next week," Nale said.

Hall says a test-fire crews started Wednesday morning wouldn't spread through the burn area in Camas Meadows. They had to wait about 30 minutes for humidity to drop before the grass and needles would carry enough fire to achieve the burn's objectives. The Forest Service removed most logging debris from the Camas Meadows burn area years ago, Hall said. The lighter fuels leftover burn at a lower intensity.

Still, some property owners near the National Forest worry about the potential for burns to spread out of control.

"It doesn't take much for something to get out of control," Fredrick said. She believes potential wildfire fuel in the forest needs to be cleaned up, but thinks it should happen at a different time of the year.

"I just think it's really poor judgement," Fredrick said.

Hall was unsure exactly how often controlled burns get out of control and turn into wildfires, but said it's not common.

"A lot of planning goes into (controlled burns), and we have a lot of good, experienced folks on the ground making the calls and the decision to go or not to go," said Hall, who hasn't seen a controlled burn leave its designated area during his 15-year career fighting fire for both the Forest Service and the state. "There's a lot of prep and planning in it. I would say that's a rare event. I won't say it hasn't happened and may or may not happen again."

Mike Starkovich, fire management officer for the Forest Service's Yakima River Division, says he's never seen a fire get out of control in a major way on the Cle Elum Ranger District.

"We've had them flop over the lines a little bit but not turn into a raging wildfire," Starkovich said. "We're pretty careful with what we're doing. We can't afford to let it get out of control."

None of the controlled burns have threatened property or public safety, Starkovich said, and fire managers prefer not to light burns in even marginally acceptable conditions.

Fire crews had clearance to light a second burn in the Camas Meadows area Thursday, but chose not to proceed due to concerns about smoke, Hall said.

"We just weren't going to put smoke in that valley again today," Hall said. That burn may proceed Monday, if weather conditions remain favorable.

He said people with concerns about controlled burns can call the Central Washington Interagency Communications Center, which serves as a dispatch center for wildland fire crews, at 509-884-3473 or contact their local fire district. Controlled burns could affect travel on national forest roads in the Cle Elum Ranger District, according to the news release, and warning signs will be placed along roadways near burn areas. More information on controlled burns in the Cle Elum Ranger District can be obtained by calling the Cle Elum Ranger Station at 509-852-1100.

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Prescribed burns aim to reduce wildfire; some residents concerned with timing

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Thomas Hall hadn't stopped his white U.S. Forest Service pickup next to Tip Top Road long when a driver pulled over to question him about smoke rising from a nearby controlled burn Thursday. The driver wanted to know why the Forest Service would light the 74-acre fire in hot, dry conditions.

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Learn about how the government informs residents about burns.

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Superior National Forest - Resource Management

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Yearly: A summary and map of planned prescribed burns is prepared annually. The summary and map are posted on the Superior National Forest website, and provided via a network that includes Forest Service personnel, Reserve America, cooperators, other businesses, partner agencies, media, private organizations, community contacts, and the tourism industry.