Back in the Spring, personnel were preparing to conduct a prescribed burn in Polk county. The burn boss along with an operator were doing some final prep work to ensure that the containment lines were adequate and the site was ready for the burn.
National Prescribed Fire Resource Mobilization Strategy
This summer the National Prescribed Fire Resource Mobilization Strategy was released. The plan calls for six prescribed fire implementation teams to be created that will incorporate prescribed fire practitioners and expertise into a management structure. This concept would support the implementation of prescribed fire at multiple organizational and complex levels. These teams would be tailored to meet specific needs and facilitate multiple projects simultaneously. Each function that supports the implementation of prescribed burning can be scaled up or down at any level, to ensure that logistical, financial, planning, safety, and public information are staffed accordingly.
[Read more…] about National Prescribed Fire Resource Mobilization Strategy
Dormant Season Burns Paired with Abundant Spring Rainfall – Did you Do that?
If you were one of the lucky landowners that burned during early/late winter, I am sure you are pleasantly pleased with the post-fire results you are seeing from these spring/early summer rains! The opportunities that fire reveals are not only inspiring, but make for gorgeous and productive rangelands! Hats off to you landowners that light the match out of faith and reap the blessings and bounty soon after!
Fire Appreciation Day
A HUGE thank you to Dr. Dale Rollins for organizing Fire Appreciation Day at the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch on May 24th! We had over 80 participants and a healthy mix of stakeholders, agencies, and Prescribed Burn Association members! Thank you to Dr. Robin Verble-Pearson, Zac Wilcox, Lloyd LaCoste, Matt McEwen, Mark Moon, Chris Ellis, Kent Mills, Barrett Koennecke, Brad Kubecka, Seth Pearson, Ethan McJames and all the other others who helped put this show on! Thank you for your support in prescribed burning! Click here for more information on the talks presented at Fire Appreciation Day! And check out this link for the radio broadcast presented by Texas Farm Bureau!
Strike First with Prescribed Fire
Last week I had the opportunity to participate in Fire Appreciation Day at the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch (blog post coming soon on that!) organized by Dr. Dale Rollins. What a fantastic way to celebrate and learn more about fire effects! You will find summaries and abstracts of the day’s events under the tab Resources. I was blown away by the numerous stakeholders we were able to bring together, County Judges, Commercial and Insured Prescribed Burn Managers, producers, Prescribed Burn Associations, Texas Tech University, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Texas Parks and Wildlife, USDA-NRCS, County Extension Agents, National Grazing Lands Coalition, and many others! As a result of these efforts, Gary Joiner from the Texas Farm Bureau covered the event and wrote a tremendous story on prescribed burning (which you find here). It’s days like these and stories like these that help tip the fire scale a little bit closer to proactive prescribed burning! #EveryDayisABurnDay #HappinessIsSmokeOntheHorizon
Ring-Fire Ignition
Click here for a fantastic short YouTube video of drone footage on a prescribed burn! This 70-acre RX Fire was conducted by Conservation Fire Team south of San Angelo. Thank you to all who helped make this happen!
-Morgan
Who Started That Fire — Embracing a Fire Culture in 2016
Fire is fire. That said, I can tell you fire is the answer, but the problem is in the questions. Is it a wildfire or prescribed burn? The biggest question for range managers, is how does fire (planned or unplanned) fit into your ranch plan? Fire is a naturally occurring process that is not centered on if, but when it will happen on rangeland. As rangeland managers we have the choice as to the type of fire that occurs in our pastures. Waiting for a wildfire is neither a good offense nor a good defense, similar to the old Marine philosophy, which mountain do you want to die on? It boils simply down to proactive vs. reactive attitudes and perspectives. Check out Who started that fire – Embracing a fire culture in 2016 for more of the story featured in the Progressive Cattleman.