West Texas Rangelands
West Texas RangelandsWe hope to provide a variety of information from current news stories, prescribed burning, wildfires, brush control, and cow-calf management!

Masticator Sparks Wildfire – Rapid Lesson Sharing

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This past October in the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge (Comanche County, OK, USA) a skid steer masticator was conducting a hazardous fuels reduction treatment along a paved road. There was additional road grading and other mechanical fuel reduction work for a future prescribed burn occurring on other parts of the refuge that day. Unfortunately, the masticator hit a rock that was hidden underneath the vegetation and, unknowingly, sparked a fire. 

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Prescribed Fire Lessons

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The Nebraska Prescribed Fire Council has published its second issue of Prescribed Fire Lessons Learned! The Nebraska Prescribed Fire Council takes submissions from practitioners on lessons learned from prescribed fires to assist producers, landowners, PBAs, and other prescribed fire professionals to keep improving season after season.  This forum has been invaluable in learning from one another in hopes that mistakes or judgment calls turn into valuable lessons for all of us building and contributing to prescribed fire culture. Below are some highlights from this issue. 

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Prescribed Fire Drip Torch Burn – Rapid Lesson Sharing

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The Oconee Ranger District conducted a 1,637-acre prescribed fire in Eatonton, Georgia on February 22nd. On the day of the prescribed fire, three firefighters were assigned to the ignition crew and other personnel were assigned to holding and overhead positions. As the morning brief occurred, discussion on hazards including entanglements in vines were common to the area. 

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Lessons Learned – Contributing Factors to UTV Rollover on Prescribed Fire

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In Feb. 2023, Oakmulgee Ranger District was conducting their first large burn of the season. Multiple off-unit resources had been requested to assist with the burn, including various firefighters from other regions, Job Corps, Bureau of Land Management, and local militia. 

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UTV Incidents Dominates 2023 Lessons Learned

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One of the big takeaways from the 2023 summary of incident reports from the Wildland Fire Lessoned Learned Center was the increase of UTV related incidents. Over the past 14 years, the most UTV related incidents in one year was 5. In 2023 however, there were 13 related incidents. The graph shows 15 accumulated years of UTV involved incidents, including rollovers, entrapments, equipment damage, and tree strikes.

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Snow Hill Fire Lessons Learned

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On August 2, 2023, the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Texas A&M Forest Service on a grass fire at FM 946 South and Harrell Road. A dominant upper-level ridge of high pressure resided over Texas from the middle of June through early August. These conditions resulted in flash drought conditions, which was only intensified by the well below normal rainfall.

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