Planning a Prescribed Burn

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There are four primary components to planning a prescribed burn. These components include:

1.  regulation review;

2.  an evaluation of the prospective burn site;

3. preparation of a burn plan for the site

4. pre-burn site and equipment preparation.

 

1. Regulation Review - The first step in the planning process should be to review the applicability and requirements of any county or municipal ordinances that might regulate prescribed burning in your locality. A good place to obtain local information is from your nearest fire department.

2. Prospective Burn Site Evaluation - The second step to planning a successful prescribed burn is to evaluate the proposed site.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          For a video of a typical site evaluation, click here                                                                                                                   Preferably, this should be done 6 months to a year prior to the intended burning period. This will provide ample time to address any problem areas, establish needed fire breaks, make contacts with neighbors and plan for equipment needs. The pre-burn evaluation should be used to determine what type of fire prescription is needed.

     In other words, what is the intended objective of the burn and

     what conditions are needed to meet the objective. Setting a

     burn objective will help determine the time frame within which

     the burn should be conducted and the type of firing method

     or methods that should be used. Table 1 provides information

     on the timing of prescribed burning in relation to the site

     objective.

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The pre-burn evaluation should also be used to collect specific information about the site that will be needed for burn plan preparation. Information about the amount and type of fuels to be burned, the amount and type of fuels outside the intended burn area, as well as information on topography and the location of property boundaries should be noted. 

 

Take an aerial photo or map with you and walk the entire site. Mark the location of roads, trails, water bodies, natural fire breaks, smoke sensitive areas, utility lines, utility poles, fences, buildings, homes, fuel tanks, trash piles, poison ivy patches, and other important features.

 

 

 

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