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Conducting A Prescribed Burn
A prescribed burn is a carefully planned and executed event. Long before a match is struck, staff complete a unit-specific Prescribed Burn Plan, outlining the tracts of land to be managed, and create fire breaks to prevent a runaway blaze. Managers carefully choose days when weather conditions will help control the flames while still allowing an effective burn. Air temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, and vegetation moisture must all be “within prescription.”
On the day of the burn, equipment and trained personnel are assembled at the site. After confirming that weather conditions meet the requirements, the “burn boss,” an experienced fire manager, gives the okay and oversees the burn. Local emergency personnel and residents next to the burn site are notified, and the burn is monitored constantly. Flames are carefully extinguished before staff leave the site.
Prescribed Burn Checklist:
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Complete Prescribed Burn Plan |
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Construct fire breaks |
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Assemble equipment and trained crew |
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Check conditions: |
- air temperature |
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- humidity |
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- wind speed and direction |
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- moisture of vegetation to be burned |
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Notify local emergency personnel and neighbors |
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Set test fire to confirm conditions |
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Conduct burn with constant supervision |
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Secure perimeter of the burn |
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Monitor until fire is completely out |
