Controlled Burning

Reducing pine litter, dead branches and downed logs promotes a healthy forest.

THE ISSUE

Fire is an important component of the land management plan to reduce forest fuels and restore historic plant and animal habitats.

BACKGROUND

Fires ignited by lightning and Native Americans have occurred for centuries in East Texas and are responsible for the “piney woods” so prevalent in our area today. Scientific studies reveal that naturally occurring fires may have spread across large expanses of East Texas as frequently as every one to three years.

Primarily using controlled fire; NFGT managers treat more than 100,000 acres for hazardous fuels build up in the national forests and grasslands yearly.

KEY POINTS

• Controlled burns are conducted only when weather conditions are most favorable and are based on daily forecasts from the National Weather Service.

• Controlled fires are conducted by experienced, qualified personnel who work as a team to ignite, monitor and ensure that the fire stays within the control lines.

• The fires reduce the height of shrubs and bring new plant growth back down within the reach of foraging deer.

• Growing urban and suburban populations in Texas and an intermingled land ownership continue to present challenges for fire managers and hazardous fuels reduction programs.

• Threatened ecosystems like longleaf pines – the haven for endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers – are dependent on fire.

• Where forest service lands is adjacent to populated areas, Forest Service fire personnel will visit property owners living near the burn areas to explain safety procedures and the benefits of prescribed fire.

• Those near national forests may see smoke columns, reduced visibility in low lying areas and additional traffic along Forest Service roads.

• Some controlled fires are ignited aerially with the use of a helicopter. During aerial ignition, small containers, similar to ping-pong balls, are dropped from the helicopter onto the desired burn location.