Letters from the Inbox

Q&A

Q.

Dear Longleaf Alliance,

I am new to the South, to longleaf, and especially to fire. I hear you mention prescribed burning frequently, and I can tell it is essential. But how do I start? My trees were planted this past spring.

Willing in Concept, but Nowhere Near Ready

Dear Willing,

Welcome to the South and longleaf! As you have discovered, longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) needs fire to thrive. By engaging and learning about prescribed fire, you will know when and how to apply fire to your trees.

Prescribed fire is one of those subjects we can study our whole lives. In fact, we SHOULD learn something every time we conduct a burn to continually improve our management. We all began inexperienced, and there is much more help now than a few years ago.

We suggest beginning with some training to lay the proper foundation. Even if the plan is to hire others to conduct the burn, the more we know about prescribed fire, the more likely we will achieve our objectives. And today, there are many educational opportunities, even virtual options.

Every state in the longleaf range has forestry and wildlife agencies and extension programs; these are great places to start. You will find resources about burn planning, fire management, training opportunities, and even burning services through their highly knowledgeable staff and informative websites. Don’t overlook material on post-burning assessments either (fire effects monitoring). One of the tools that help us learn and improve is understanding how well we (or our contractor) did last time.

In addition to reading prescribed fire resources and watching informational videos, seek in-person training: • “Learn and Burn” events are an opportunity to receive hands-on experience through prescribed fire demonstrations. These are now offered across the South, though they may use a slightly different name. • For deeper understanding and additional liability protection, become a Burn Manager in your state. You will write, then improve, burn plans for your property. Again, this leads to better results whether you do the burn or hire a contractor. • If you get a chance, sign up for The Longleaf Alliance’s Fire and Longleaf 201 Academy, a three-day course that will complement any other training you receive. Check upcoming events at longleafalliance.org.

If you are a hands-on manager, gain experience by finding neighbors with similar challenges, then look for ways to help each other, like splitting and sharing the use and maintenance of tools and equipment. Working together saves time and provides extra hands and tools on the fire line resulting in more experience with different fuels and situations. Prescribed Burning Associations (PBAs), even if they are a little out of your range, are a great way to connect. These will be some of the most rewarding experiences you will have in land management. Reliable people doing important and challenging work, successfully and safely, together.

We can’t list all of the online resources that you might find helpful, but we’ve included several places to get started on our website at longleaf.info/rxfire. Make sure to visit the Southeast Prescribed Fire Update, which includes links to each state’s Prescribed Fire Council, and signup for the Driptorch Digest newsletter from the Southeast Regional Partnership for Planning and Sustainability (SERPPAS) Prescribed Fire Work Group.

Sincerely, The Longleaf Alliance

A.

Photo by Ryan Bollinger