Forest fires are devastating. They can devastate habitats, plant life, beautiful views, unique points of nature, and upend human lives. Every summer we’re on edge about what’s burning where and how bad these burns are, hoping that nobody’s homes are destroyed, and nobody winds up injured or worse. So then why do forest services start prescribed burns? Why are they important, and what risks do they come with?
According to the U.S. Forest Service, prescribed burns are good for both the land and the people, especially in areas that are already fire-adapter. Forests that do need periodic burns can get overcrowded and hazardous, killing off fire-dependent species and creating a high quantity of flammable fuels. Prescribed burns work to prevent this, in addition to several other positives.
A prescribed burn reduces flammable fuels, lowering the risk of extreme fires and protecting human communities. They can also slow the spread of diseases and pests, provide an improved habitat for endangered or threatened species, recycle nutrients back into the soil, and promote the growth of new or existing trees and other plants.
There are, of course, risks to the process. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a prescribed burn could escape its barriers and grow into a proper wildfire and it could pose as a risk to firefighters, all while damaging the air quality in the area. Plus, they have the potential to aid in the spread of invasive species, and can be pretty costly.
The process to actually conduct a prescribed burn can take a lot of time. A 3-12 month process of collecting data and creating a list of requisites (the burn plan, or prescription) comes first, which includes how and where a fire might burn, including all the conditions that might impact the process. A finalized burn plan includes the conditions necessary to start the fire, which all must be met before anything can be done.
“Unlike wildfire, when we conduct a prescribed burn, we must adhere to air quality standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency, which means we must plan for smoke. If a community is on one side of a planned prescribed fire area and there is nothing on the other side, we will plan for a day with favorable wind direction.” – zone fire management specialist on the Payette National Forest Phil Graeve
While this is well thought out and detailed, there is always a chance of a prescribed burn spreading into a wildfire. According to Phil Graeve, that happens about 0.13% of the time, or around 1 in 1,000 prescribed burns.
