Prescribed Fire
Restora/on Through Coopera/on
Outline Fire on the landscape Burn Associa/on Cooperators Needs
Defining Fire Wildfires and Prescribed Fires • Fuel Type • Climate • Scale • Intensity • Return interval Good Fire/Bad Fire
The Bad and The Good • Wildfire and escapes can destroy homes and capital investments. • Fire does not “destroy” acres of natural habitat. • Fire does modify and alter aJributes of the landscape. • Fire does maintain ecological func/ons. • Prescribed fire is somewhat “Natural”. • Prescribed fire can manage fuel loads.
Where did the fire go? • Habitat Fragmenta/on. • Landscape management schemes are different. • ShiPs in vegeta/on composi/on. • Safety concerns. What can we do to get it back?
Limita/ons of Implementa/on • Mispercep/ons of fire /lack of knowledge. – Landowners/neighbors – Public
• Lack of Equipment • Local Governmental Regula/ons/Burn Bans • Public safety concerns. What can we do to get it back?
How do we get fire back on the Landscape? • • • • • • • •
Get organized. Educa/on, Educa/on, Educa/on. Increased man power and equipment. Reduce and mi/gate risk and impacts (smoke) through planning and experience. Use prescribed fire. Build a fire aware community. Poli/cal influence. Use cooperators to help.
Texas Prescribed Burn Associa/ons • hJp://pbatexas.org • State Alliance formed. • 11 Regional Coops/ Associa/ons. • State Cer/fica/on.
Coastal Bend Prescribed Burn Assoc
WWW.PRESCRIBEDBURN.ORG
Get Organized Form or join a prescribed fire Coop/Associa/on. Establish a formal group with Ar/cles of Incorpora/on. Gain 501 c3 status. Liability insurance. Equipment. Have a presence in the community. Incorporate with another en/ty – wildlife coop.
Educa/on Start within the group and work out Incorporate management change or adapt to facilitate fire. Ecological benefits. Cost benefits. Safety! Know the laws. Applica/on. Through experience, develop competence and trust.
Burn Co Op Assists in Planning Educates in parameters for safe implementa/on Building fuel Fire guard construc/on Fire Guard Head Fire Timing Short flank
Black
Mi/gates risk
Burn Area Long flank
Burn Co Op Increases Manpower Train individuals Planning Experience Confidence Cer/fica/on Neighbors helping neighbors. Mi/gates risk
Burn Co Op Increases Equipment Equipment is costly to buy and maintain Centrally located Pumps Sprayer units Hand tools Torches Radios Mi/gates risk
Liability Working on liability insurance for members. Make sure that personal insurance covers fire and smoke impacts on your property. Planning Training Experience Manpower Equipment Mi/gates Risk
Build a fire-‐aware Community • • • • •
Use prescribed fire. Put some smoke up. Publicize work and benefits of fire. Prepara/on and planning. Gain trust and show competence. Promote educa/on through seminars and trainings.
Poli/cal influence Show a need for prescribed fire. economics fuels management Influence legisla/on and policy. Be truthful and prudent. Elect officials who are knowledgeable. Show competence and gain trust.
Fire through Coopera/on Since 2003 when TNC RGP module was established and 2006 when CBPBA was started, fire has increased on the landscape 20 fold. Cooperators have provided hundreds of landowners and managers with educa/on opportuni/es 1 – 2 /mes a year with burn seminars and public speaking events. CBPBA equipment was used to burn over 8,000 acres in 2011.
Frequency of Fire o the Landscape Fire through Cn oopera/on Since the 2003 when TNC RGP module was established and 2006 when CBPBA was started, fire has increased on the landscape 20 fold. Cooperators have provided hundreds of landowners and managers with educa/on opportuni/es 1 – 2 /mes a year with burn seminars and public speaking events. CBPBA equipment was used to burn over 8,000 acres in 2011.
Local Cooperators Landowners and producers Non Profit Resource Conserva/on Groups Volunteer Fire Departments County Commissioners and Judge County Fire Marshall Soil and Water Conserva/on Boards Texas Agri-‐life Extension NRCS TPWD TNC
State Cooperators Natural Resources Conserva/on Services Texas Soil and Water Conserva/on Board Texas Parks and Wildlife Grazing Lands Conserva/on Ini/a/ve Texas Forest Service Texas Department of Agriculture Texas and Southwest CaJle Raisers Assoc. Legislators The Nature Conservancy Texas Agri-‐life Extension USFWS
Needs RAIN!! Greater knowledge of ecological processes. Management strategies that address ecological processes. Public educa/on. Trained individuals to take the lead. Con/nued poli/cal influence.
Ques/ons? Â
Fire A naturally occurring ecological disturbance, that changes or maintains the plant community, species composi/on and structure of an ecosystem.