Fire is a naturally occurring process that was first applied by the Native Americans and continues today in the Great Plains by a diverse group of landowners. Fire is an incredible tool that is used to help restore fire regimes in the region. Not only is it used to restore fire regimes, it is also used to maintain and grow benefits for Agricultural outputs, risk reduction, and ecosystem maintenance.
One of the key factors in the adoption of prescribed burning is the cost. In a recent study, prescribed burn professionals in the Great Plains were surveyed and the average cost of a prescribed burn reported was $11.37 per acre. This is less expensive than numbers that have been reported elsewhere.
There were seven significant variables that emerged during this study, some including, number of burns and acreage, firebreak type, and fuel characteristics. This study also suggests that economies of scale play an important role in the cost of prescribed burning.
For more information and to read the full study, click here!