S O U T H F L O R I D A W A T E R M A N A G E M E N T D I S T R I C T

Prescribed BurningA Land Management Tool

The South Florida Water Manage ment Districtis a regional, governmentalagency that oversees thewater resources in thesouthern half of the state. It is the oldest and largestof the state’s five watermanagement districts.

Our Mission is to manageand protect water resourcesof the region by balancingand improving waterquality, flood control,natural systems, and watersupply.

JULY 2013

Trained managers carefully direct a prescribedburn, protecting people and property whileenhancing Florida’s natural lands.

Fire has been a powerful ecological forcesince prehistoric times, shaping natural

habitats and guiding the evolution of plantsand animals. In North America, early explorersfound Native Americans burning naturalvegetation for a variety of reasons:

• Improving wildlife habitat

• Making hunting easier

• Allowing predators or enemies to be seen

• Reducing biting insects

• Preparing land for agriculture

European settlers continued burning wildlands for many of the same reasons, and toprevent catastrophic fires by maintaining lowfuel levels. In the mid-20th century, fires werecommonly prevented in the naturalenvironment, often leading to destructivewildfires and declines in wildlife populations.In recent decades, federal, state and countygovernments have recognized the importanceof controlled burning to public safety andeffective land management.

Modern Prescribed BurningWhen appropriate, natural vegetation burnsare encouraged on some lands, but it is donewithin a range of predetermined conditionsdesigned to ensure a safe burn. This isreferred to as prescribed burning.

Florida is a national leader in safely managingprescribed burning through regulation and bytraining and certifying burners. The FloridaDivision of Forestry (DOF) bears primaryresponsibility for regulating burningthroughout the state, except on federal lands.

Before the DOF issues an authorization toburn, a detailed plan, or prescription, must bewritten. On the day of the burn, the DOF’sreview includes computer modeling to predictsmoke impacts. Factors such as weather, fuellevels, staffing requirements and equipment

available are also evaluated. All staffinvolved in government-conductedprescribed burns have received rigoroustraining. A burn manager certified by theDOF is in charge of each burn and is alwayspresent on site during the burn.

For many years, prescribed burning inFlorida involved ignition with kitchenmatches by a worker on foot or horseback.Now, specially designed drip torches areused by staff on foot or ATVs. Under certainconditions, flame-throwers mounted onATVs, trucks, swamp buggies or airboatsare used to ignite burns.

Helicopters are sometimes used for burningoperations in large areas. They are fittedwith a machine that ejects hundreds oftreated plastic spheres, each one setting afire when it hits the ground. The burnmanager riding in the helicopter directs theburn operation and coordinates closely witha ground crew to take appropriate firemanagement actions.

PRESCRIBED BURNING

Prescribed burning is an important land management tool in South Florida. Controlled fires prevent the over-accumulation of leaves, branchesand other dry vegetation that could fuel catastrophic wildfires.

South Florida Water Management District3301 Gun Club RoadWest Palm Beach, Florida 33406561-686-8800 • 800-432-2045www.sfwmd.gov

MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 24680West Palm Beach, FL 33416-4680

ELN07/13

The District’s Burn ProgramThe South Florida Water Management District owns close to 1million acres of land subject to natural and prescribed fires. Muchof this area is managed through partnership agreements with stateand local agencies. The District directly manages about 250,000acres and has an active, prescribed burn program. A total of 20employees are Certified Burn Managers, and 22 others are trainedin working on prescribed burns. The District also maintains a fleetof burn vehicles and related equipment. For large prescribed fires,a helicopter and pilot are leased to help carry out ignition andsurveillance activities. Burning is often part of a multi-step processfor restoring neglected land. For example, vegetation may need tobe chopped with heavy equipment so it will burn more slowly andevenly, without tall flames that endanger trees. Although choppinglooks destructive, it makes prescribed fire easier to control andresults are better for the environment and wildlife.

Becoming a Certified Burn ManagerBurn certification is managed by DOF, and formal training goeswell beyond basic topics such as burning methods and fire safety.Study and testing include subjects ranging from fire behavior, localweather patterns and the ecology of South Florida’s naturalcommunities to public relations and legal aspects of burning.Supervised practical experience is an important part of burncertification. Managing a prescribed burn is a test of leadershipability, good judgment and rapid decision-making. It also requiresstamina and endurance under extreme conditions of heat andsmoke. Mistakes can lead to loss of certification – or even injury,

loss of property or loss of life.Certified burn managers are theheart of a modern system thatserves Florida’s people and naturalresources well.

Benefits to WildlifeCertain bird species, such as quailand red-cockaded woodpeckers,only thrive in frequently burnedhabitats. Fire ecology studies haveshown that the majority of otherwildlife, including deer and turkey,and many rare mammals, birdsand reptiles also benefit. Wild rodents find more food and multiplyin regularly burned areas, which means predators such as bobcats,foxes, hawks and owls also do well. Although animals areoccasionally injured or killed by fire, the ecological system in SouthFlorida is well-adapted to this natural process.

More InformationTo learn what you can do to protect your home and neighborhoodfrom wildfires, contact a DOF office or your local fire department.You may be able to arrange for a representative to visit your area,identify dangerous situations and recommend solutions. You canfind the Florida Division of Forestry online at www.fl-dof.com. TheNational Fire Protection Association offers more information onlineat www.firewise.org.