Wildland Fire Management in the Southeast

8/8/2019 Wildland Fire Management in the Southeast

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Wildland FireManagement inthe Southeast

Keeping Fire on OurSide

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service


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Friend or Foe?

What comes to mind when you hearthe word re? Warmth, danger,comfort, excitement, power? Peoplehave a love-hate relationship with re,and for good reason. Under the rightconditions, re can be useful and evennecessary for survival. At the wrong

time and place, however, it can bedestructive and life-threatening. Fireseems to have two sides, the friendlyand the erce.

Yet in nature, the two sides of recome as a complete package. TheSoutheast is full of plants and animalsthat have adapted to re or needfrequent re for their very existence.Fire has been a part of humandevelopment for centuries and theuse of controlled burns has beneted

man in many ways like hunting andagriculture.

Today, land managers use controlledor prescribed burning to improve

wildlife habitat and reduce the risk ofdangerous res. Wildre, on the other

hand, can threaten life and propertyof both people and wildlife especiallywhen it occurs with little notice andunder extreme conditions.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service isworking to make re a positive force

on its lands and for its neighbors,keeping re on our side.

This blue goose,designed byDing Darling,

has become asymbol of the

Refuge System.


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Its Only NaturalFire plays abenecial role inshaping natural

habitats in theSoutheast. Infact, res canburn in theSoutheast inalmost anymonth and

inuence habitatsall year long.Under naturalconditions,lightning-causedres occur with

regularity, with the highest numberof starts in the spring and summer.In some areas of the Southeast theseburn once every 1 to 10 years. Manyof our natural habitats depend on andbenet from re. Examples includelongleaf pine forests, mixed pine-

hardwoods, sand pine scrub, savannasand pocosins.

Fire has many different ecologicalroles. It removes dead vegetationand returns nutrients to the soil,helping to prepare a seedbed forplant germination. Fire helps toreduce disease and insect infestationsand naturally prunes vegetation.It promotes habitat for rare andendangered wildlife species. Fireencourages growth of native plants

that are adapted to re and usedby wildlife for food. Over 50 speciesof rare and endangered plants andanimals benet from re in theSoutheast.

Across the Southeast there are manyexamples of adaptations to re.Frequent re is necessary to maintainthe open nature of the longleaf pine-

wiregrass habitat and to perpetuateits associated species, includingthe endangered Red-cockaded

Woodpecker. Fires burn away thewoody shrubs that grow around trees


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that, if allowed to grow, could providesnakes and other predators easyaccess to the woodpecker nests.

Wiregrass is one of several plantspecies that require re for owering.Southeastern pine trees, such as pondand sand pine, require heat from a refor seed release. Other plants haveadapted to survive frequent re byresprouting from their underground

parts. Such plants include marshplants, lilies, some orchids, manyshrubs and some herbs. Anothergroup of plants go one step furtherand have chemicals in their leavesthat are ammable and actually

encourage re to spread. These plantsquickly resprout after a re and canget a big headstart on theirneighbors. Suchplants includebays, myrtles and

palmettos, whichare found alongour coastal plain.

A Prescription forHealthy Habitat

and Human SafetyEach year, U.S.Fish & WildlifeService staff useprescribed re torestore, maintain,and enhance

wildlife habitaton National Wildlife Refuge Systemlands throughout the Southeast.Prescribed burns rejuvenate thediverse ecosystems by fullling someof the natural roles of re. Theyhelp prevent the dense build-up of

vegetation that leads to damagingwildres, improving conditions forboth wildlife and people.

Surrounding communities andlandowners benet from the

Services regular use of prescribedburning. Through regular burning,


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large volumesof vegetationor fuel areprevented from

building up todangerous levels.Prescribed burnscan be doneunder controlledconditions to limitsmokes impact

on human health.

Recognizingthat neitherecosystemsnor wildres

stop at refugeboundaries, Service staff also workbeyond refuges to help communitiesmanage re. Refuge reghters mayrespond to off-site wildres to protectpeople and property and often workcollaboratively with other federal

agencies, states, and landowners toconduct prescribed burns off refuges.Ready Reserve Program providesfunding to local re departments

which may assist with ghtingwildres on or near refuge lands.

Just What the Doctor OrderedFireghter and public safety isthe top priority for any prescribedburn, which is a carefully plannedand executed event that allowsthe Service to manage re safely,

professionally, and cost-effectively.


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Long before a match is struck,staff will complete a unit-specic

Prescribed Fire Plan describing thearea to be managed. Firebreaks areprepared to prevent a runaway blaze.Managers use computer software topredict what smoke emissions will beproduced and where the smoke willgo. Steps to mitigate smokes impactare lined out as part of the PrescribedFire Plan. Managers carefully

choose dayswhen weatherconditions willhelp control

the smoke andames whilestill allowing aneffective burn.

Wind speedand direction,

vegetation andsoil moisture, airtemperature, andhumidity mustall be withinprescription.

On the day of theburn, equipmentand trainedpersonnel areassembled atthe site. Afterconrmingthat weatherconditions meet


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the requirements, the Burn Boss,a specially qualied re manager,gives the okay and oversees theburn. Fire and smoke conditions are

carefully monitored. Flames near theperimeter are extinguished beforestaff leave the site, and the unit isfrequently monitored until the nextsignicant rainfall.

n Complete Prescribed Fire Plann Prepare re breaksnAssemble equipment and

trained crewn Check conditions:

air temperature humidity wind speed and direction

moisture of vegetation and

soil

n Notify local emergencypersonnel and neighbors

n Set test re to conrmconditions

n Conduct burn with constantsupervision

n Secure perimetern Monitor until re is completely

out

Checklist For a Safe, Efcient

Prescribed Burn


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A DangerousCombinationPeople living inand among the

re-adapted plantcommunities ofthe Southeasthave alwaysbeen at risk from

wildland re,but population

growth trendshave set thestage for evenmore re-relateddisasters.Public safety

ofcials andnatural resourcemanagers are concerned about thisgrowing phenomenon, the WildlandUrban Interface. Many people areleaving cities and making theirhomes near wild places where their

homes adjoin or are interspersedwith undeveloped land, creating apotentially volatile situation. As morepeople choose to live in rural areas,safely managing re on the naturallandscape is becoming more difcult

and more crucial.

A Year of Fire in the Southeastn Number of wildres = 141n Number of prescribed res = 364n Number of acres burned by

wildland re = 20,423

n Number of prescribed reacres = 145,262

These statistics are taken from 2009 FMISreporting system.

Living with Fire

The relationship of re and peoplein the Southeast has a long history.

As populations continue to expandinto wildland areas, this relationshipcannot be lost. Along with thepleasure of living among the wildlands

comes the responsibility of preparinghome and property for a wildre.From construction to maintenance,


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there are things you can do to makeyour home more re-resistant andincrease the odds that it will still bestanding once a re has passed.

Clear an area 30 feet wide aroundyour home. Remove dry grass,brush, dead leaves, and pine needles.Replace highly ammable plants

with re-resistant, highmoistureones. Re-locate woodpiles away from

structures. Keep trees pruned.

If you have wood shakes, treat orreplace them with non-combustiblematerials. Replace plate glass withtempered.

Flying sparks can enter through anyopening. Keep gutters free of leaves,pine needles, and debris.

Wooden decks, fences, and trellisescan act as ignition points and lead

re to your house. Clean leavesand debris from patios and decks.Consider building ground-levelterraces. Dont attach wooden fencesto your house.

Make sure your driveway is wellmarked and wide enough for reequipment to enter.

A Friendship Based on RespectFor thousands of years, humanshave had an active partnership with

re. Indigenous people used reextensively as did frontiersmen andsettlers rst colonizing the Southeast.

When respected and managed withcare, re can be a benecial allyrather than an awesome opponent.Thoughtful preparation and action bypublic managers and private propertyowners can help keep res effectspositive. Together, we can keep re onour side.

Be a Firewise Homeowner

When buying or building your homechoose a level location, at least 30 feetfrom a ridge or cliff.

Select a safe site

Create aSurvivable Space

Make your roof,walls, and windowsre-resistant

Install screens onchimneys, vents,

eaves, and gutters

Check alladditionalstructures

Be accessible

photos: USFWS


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U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceSoutheast Regional Ofce1875 Century Blvd.Atlanta, Georgia 30345

http:www.fws.gov/re

Related Links:www.nifc.gov - National Interagency Fire Centerwww.smokeybear.com - Smokeys ofcial websitewww.rewise.org - Firewise sponsored by the NationalWildland/Urban Interface Fire Program

August 2010

Documents

Wildland Fire Management in the Southeast