Fire Power

Fire destroys, but fire also restores. And it was this regenerative power on display last September during a prescribed burn workshop at the Poosey Conservation Area near Chillicothe, Mo.

Under the expert guidance of Missouri Department of Conservation specialists, forceful flames spread steadily across the targeted field, turning the thick stand of fall greens and golds into a clean slate of black ash.

Like the mythical phoenix, this is where new life will arise.

“I always say that fire is the most efficient tool in a landowner’s toolbox,” said Cliff Wilson, MDC private lands conservationist in Grundy, Livingston and Mercer counties. “It gives us the ability to influence our property at a landscape level. Burning is relatively inexpensive, and it’s fairly quick, too. If all the conditions are right, you can accomplish it in one day.”

Throughout history, naturally occurring fires and managed burns have played an essential role in shaping the Midwest’s prairie and woodland ecosystems, and Wilson said the concept is an important conservation strategy that can accomplish many different land management goals. When used carefully and responsibly, prescribed fire can restore native plant communities, enhance wildlife habitat, improve livestock forage production, regenerate trees, encourage biodiversity and control invasive species.

Unlike wildfires that are random and uncontrolled, prescribed burning starts with a solid plan and objective. The “prescription” includes the right environmental conditions that will produce a fire to meet those management objectives and keep the fire confined to a predetermined area.

“You need to be burning with a purpose. That’s one of the big things that I preach,” Wilson said. “If somebody is going to go light a fire, I want them to be able to tell everyone why they’re doing it and have that clear in their own mind. That’s where a successful burn starts.”

Ultimately, that objective will dictate what time of the year the burn happens and how the burn is conducted, he stressed. Cool-season grasses, for example, would typically be burned in early spring to stimulate growth, prepare a seedbed for planting legumes or to control woody invasion. Warm-season pollinator plots, on the other hand, should be burned between October and February when the desirable forbs are dormant to help control invasive plants, promote vegetative regrowth and provide bare soil for ground-nesting bees.

“If you had an oak woodland, you might want to do a winter burn that will remove leaf litter to put sunlight to the ground and stimulate new oak regeneration,” Wilson added. “But you can also burn at a different time in the growing season, like late April when the sap is flowing, to take care of invasive sprouts such as bush honeysuckle or autumn olive.”

Regardless of the purpose, landowners should not attempt a prescribed burn without training and assistance, Wilson said. This includes putting together a comprehensive, written burn plan with help of a qualified professional. MDC also offers dozens of workshops across the state each year to teach best practices and help interested individuals get certified in prescribed burning.

“I encourage people to take the class, even if they have no intentions of doing a burn themselves because they plan to hire a contractor,” Wilson said. “But I want them to be more at ease with the process and to understand exactly what’s going on, what makes safe conditions and what is dangerous. The same is true for people who don’t even own property, but they help other people conduct burns. After taking the class, they’ll be a much more helpful member of a prescribed fire crew.”

“When it comes to the day of the fire, everything has to go smoothly. That’s why you want all the work to happen ahead of time.”

— Cliff Wilson

Although certification is not universally mandated to perform prescribed burns, it is necessary to receive benefits of certain land management programs. For example, landowners in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) can use prescribed fire as one of the mid-contract management requirements, but they must be certified to receive credit, Wilson said.

“Certification is also required for liability protection,” he added. “If you had a fire get out of control and burn down the neighbor’s property, you couldn’t be held financially liable if you had gone through the certification process and had a burn plan in place. That protection was actually put into law by the Missouri Prescribed Burning Act in 2021.”

MFA’s natural resources conservation specialist, Emily Beck, completed her burn certification during last year’s Poosey Conservation Area workshop. She said she plans to use the knowledge and skills to manage MFA’s pollinator plots with prescribed fire and help educate customers about the practice.

“Having that class and participating in the workshop made me feel more confident about prescribed burning, not only in my role with MFA but also as a landowner myself,” Beck said. “I’m a lot more comfortable with the idea of planning a burn and sharing information with our producers who want to do that as well.”

Once the prescribed burn certification is achieved, it’s good for life. A burn plan, though, is only applicable for three years and then must be renewed.

“That’s just for a safety aspect,” Wilson explained. “The vegetative cover can change. The adjoining landowner may build a new house or barn. We have to be aware of what the current conditions are, and that’s why it needs to be revisited and revised if necessary.”

Regardless of the agency or cost-share program involved, a prescribed burn plan should contain such elements as the description of the site, objectives, map, desired weather conditions, firebreaks, ignition plan, number of crew members, safety and smoke management protocols. The document should also include plans for putting out or removing burning material near the edges after the fire as well as monitoring to make sure it doesn’t spread or reignite afterward.

Having the right equipment on hand is critical to the plan, Wilson stressed. Crews will need ignition tools such as a drip torch, a sprayer filled with water for fire suppression, a leaf blower to fan or flank the flames, and rakes to keep fire lines from spreading outside the burn area. Local MDC offices often have some of these tools and equipment available for loan.

Other essential safety measures include ensuring that crew members are outfitted with appropriate personal protective gear, including outer clothing made of natural fiber or flame-resistant material and leather boots and gloves. Safety glasses, hearing protection and hardhats are also recommended if using blowers, chainsaws or other loud machinery.

The plan must also list local public safety contact information, including police and fire departments, as well as neighbors who need to be notified about the burn.

“We always contact our dispatch, usually an hour in advance, to let them know we’re going to be doing a prescribed fire, so they’re fully aware of what’s happening,” Wilson said. “It’s also good to let your neighbors know ahead of time so they don’t report the fire and can shut their house windows or whatever they need to take care of.”

Sticking to the plan, once it’s prepared and approved, is crucial to safety and success of the burn, he stressed. During the fire itself, situational awareness is also important. The crew must continually size up the situation and be alert to what is happening around them.

“If you don’t have the right amount of people, if the weather conditions aren’t right, if you don’t have the proper equipment or any other red flags, then it’s time to put on the brakes,” Wilson said. “When it comes to the day of the fire, everything has to go smoothly. That’s why you want all the work to happen ahead of time.”

Those interested in learning how to use fire as a land management tool are encouraged to contact their local MDC private lands conservationist or visit mdc.mo.gov/your-property for a list of upcoming prescribed burn workshops. To earn certification, workshop participants must complete both an online class and attend a field day, which includes a demonstration burn.

“Our specialty is helping landowners meet their conservation objectives on their land,” Wilson said. “Prescribed fire might be the right option to meet those goals, and we can help them make that determination and put an effective plan in place.”

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