Ignitiontechniques and Planning the Prescribed Burn

IgnitionTechniques and Planning the Prescribed Burn

Unit 1: OsceolaNational Forest

Location and Fuel Type: 1000 acres of southern rough- mesic pine flatwoods with roughly 90 mature longleaf or slash per acre, avg. DBH 11”. Last burned four years ago. Half of the unit has been roller-chopped/ masticated- whereby all understory vegetation and trees under 8” DBH have been shredded and left on-site, and this heavy fuel load is dry and will likely produce lots of heat. Burn unit has been well-plowed and all firelines are clear surrounding the unit perimeter, but many lines are soggy due to recent rain.

Morning Conditions: Winds are shifting, 8-10 mph from the SW. Temperature 60-75 degrees, RH 50% and predicted to decrease to 45% . Transport winds > 15 mph. with good mixing heights. Slightly unstable atmosphere.

Objectives: Burn 1000 acres in one day. Reduce ground and surface fuel loads by at least 50%. Maintain overstory trees (maximum of 10% mortality). Prevent smoke from reaching urban areas to south and southwest (LakeCity).

Personnel: Experienced: Fire Management Officer (Prescribed Fire Burn Boss RxB2); Assistant FMO (Single Resource Boss); 4 first-year hand crew firefighters (just got their red cards, never done a prescribed burn before- Fire Fighter Type 2); 2 experienced heavy equipment operators; 2 experienced fire fighters, or “squad bosses” (Type 1); 1 helicopter pilot and 1 assistant.

Equipment: Bull dozer with heavy plow, helicopter with aerial ignition capacity, 2 Type 2 engines (400 gallon capacity with 3 engine crew members for each). Drip torches, hand tools, back pack pumps. 2 ATVs. Everyone has radios.

Special Concerns: Local airport is south of the burn unit. Homes, hospitals, urban areas south and southwest. Extensive, continuous, unburned fuels north of the unit, plantation to the east.

Your Task: Plot the locations of your crew and equipment. Number the order of activities. Decide on an ignition pattern to meet objectives under the given circumstances. What type of weather conditions would make your burn possible, and successful (wind speed and direction, temperature, RH?). Where will your smoke go?

Remember the order of the ignition plan: test burn, black line, ignitions, contingency plans

Unit 2: OcalaNational Forest

Location and Fuel Type: 800 acres of sand pine scrub forest type. 200-300 trees/ acre, average DBH 8”. Dense, with lots of downed logs from past hurricanes. Significant midstory oaks and vines serving as ladder fuels. Ground fuels patchy/ sparse, consisting of palmetto and oaks. Unit is well-delineated with firelines.

Morning Conditions: Consistent winds from the north, 10-20 mph with gusts. RH 45% but dropping. Temperature 48 degrees F. Rained recently. Cumulus clouds building to the northeast.

Objectives: Crown fire to regenerate sand pine (which requires fire to open its cones, and bare mineral soil for seedling establishment). Overstory tree mortality of at least 60%.

Personnel: Experienced: Fire Management Officer (Prescribed Fire Burn Boss RxB2); Assistant FMO (Single Resource Boss); 8 first-year hand crew firefighters (just got their red cards, never done a prescribed burn before- Fire Fighter Type 2); 4 experienced heavy equipment operators; 2 experienced fire fighters, or “squad bosses” (Type 1); 1 helicopter pilot and 1 assistant.

Morning Conditions: Consistent winds from the north, 10 mph and very stead. Predicted to remain consistent throughout the day. RH 50%. Temperature 55 degrees F.

Equipment: Four Type 3 Engines (300 gallon capacity). One helicopter. Drip torches, hand tools, back pack pumps. 2 dozers with experienced operaters. 4 ATVs. Everyone has radios.

Special Concerns: Crown fires are hot and consume lots of biomass = smoke. Containment is essential. SR 40 south of unit, SR 19 to the east, unburned forest and some plantations surrounding unit.

Your Task: Plot the locations of your crew and equipment. Number the order of activities. Decide on an ignition pattern to meet objectives under the given circumstances. What type of weather conditions would make your burn possible, and successful (wind speed and direction, temperature, RH?). Where will your smoke go?

Remember the order of the ignition plan: test burn, black line, ignitions, contingency plans

Unit 3: AustinCaryMemorialForest

Location and Fuel Type: ACMF, Southern Rough- Annually Burned unit- 100 acres. Low fuel loads, 60-80 trees/ acre, mature slash/longleaf overstory, no midstory, continuous palmetto/gallberry understory. Firelines plowed last year. Recently clearcut stand to the NW, young longleaf plantation to the SE.

Personnel: 15 experienced prescribed burners who have worked together for many years, 3Certified Rx Burn Managers, 1 heavy equipment operator.

Equipment: 1 Type 3 engine, 2 ATVs, everyone has radios and drip torches (dreaming here!), 1 dozer plow. Hand tools and back pack pumps.

Morning Conditions: Consistent winds from the northwest, 7-11 mph. RH 55%. Temperature 55 degrees F. Unstable atmosphere, sunny and clear.

Objectives: Complete the 100 acre burn in half a day. Less than 10% overstory mortality, consume 80% above-ground surface fuels, consume most litter.

Special Concerns: Smoke on Waldo Rd., Gainesville airport, surrounding long-unburned, high fuel load units. Everyone wants to get done as soon as possible (why is this listed here?).

Your Task: Plot the locations of your crew and equipment. Number the order of activities. Decide on an ignition pattern to meet objectives under the given circumstances. What type of weather conditions would make your burn possible, and successful (wind speed and direction, temperature, RH?). Where will your smoke go?

Remember the order of the ignition plan: test burn, black line, ignitions, contingency plans

Unit 4: EvergladesNational Park

Location and Fuel Type: (Wet) sawgrass prairie, last burned 3 years ago. Two 1000 acre units. Lined by airboat-created firebreaks, and open standing water.

Personnel: Fire Management Officer (Prescribed Fire Burn Boss RxB2); Assistant FMO (Single Resource Boss); 4 first-year hand crew firefighters (just got their red cards, never done a prescribed burn in sawgrass before- Fire Fighter Type 2); 1 fixed-wing aircraft for surveillance.

Equipment: 3 airboats with drip torches. 1pilot with co-pilot. Hand tools and back pack pumps (are these useful?). Everyone has radios.

Objectives: Complete overstory (above-water sawgrass) consumption, clean consistent burn in both units in one day.

Morning Conditions: Strong north winds, 12-15 mph. RH 45%. Temperature 55 F. Good mixing height, unstable atmosphere.

Special Concerns: Miami (i.e. smoke). Loss of control of fire. Danger to personnel (mobility is restricted).

Your Task: Plot the locations of your crew and equipment. Number the order of activities. Decide on an ignition pattern to meet objectives under the given circumstances. What type of weather conditions would make your burn possible, and successful (wind speed and direction, temperature, RH?). Where will your smoke go?

Remember the order of the ignition plan: test burn, black line, ignitions, contingency plans

Unit 5:

Location and Fuel Type:

Personnel:

Equipment:

Objectives:

Morning Conditions:

Special Concerns:

Remember the order of the ignition plan: test burn, black line, ignitions, contingency plans