Prairie burns

[Hunting Wife]

Are you guys burning to mimic historic disturbance patterns, or are there specific management goals you are trying to achieve?

We used to do a lot of “fall” burns (actually August/Sept) to target woody encroachment. The tolerance from neighbors for that is almost zero now. We do early spring burns to try to set back cool-season invasive grasses. The jury is still out on how effective we are at that.

Either way, I can rarely get fire on the ground anymore. Too few staff, not enough funding, too many higher priorities. Grazing is really the only practical tool I have left in my toolbox for defoliation.

 

[BrentD]

Are you guys burning to mimic historic disturbance patterns, or are there specific management goals you are trying to achieve?

We used to do a lot of “fall” burns (actually August/Sept) to target woody encroachment. The tolerance from neighbors for that is almost zero now. We do early spring burns to try to set back cool-season invasive grasses. The jury is still out on how effective we are at that.

Either way, I can rarely get fire on the ground anymore. Too few staff, not enough funding, too many higher priorities. Grazing is really the only practical tool I have left in my toolbox for defoliation.

I think the key to setting back cool season grasses is to get them after they have first greened up a bit. Burning right now with just brown on the ground does nothing except make the surface black and warm. The best fires we have done in terms of actual effect have been mostly smudge-pot like burns that smoke like crazy and have barely visible flames. Hard to get those timed just right. I think August burns would be similar but we don't get to do them either.

 

[Gellar]

Are you guys burning to mimic historic disturbance patterns, or are there specific management goals you are trying to achieve?

We used to do a lot of “fall” burns (actually August/Sept) to target woody encroachment. The tolerance from neighbors for that is almost zero now. We do early spring burns to try to set back cool-season invasive grasses. The jury is still out on how effective we are at that.

Either way, I can rarely get fire on the ground anymore. Too few staff, not enough funding, too many higher priorities. Grazing is really the only practical tool I have left in my toolbox for defoliation.

Management goals for all of the same reasons you stated.

In our last 5 year plan we were focused on recreation opportunities. In the next 5 year plan we are going to look at tsi, oak savana and forest health plans as well as prairie areas.

Have you ever grazed goats for invasive plant control?

 

[recon6036]

I’m the Director of a Public Safety Dept. and we do controlled burns around the city every spring. Still a foot of snow right now but the prediction is a big warm up next week, so burn season is fast approaching. Not a lot of photos on my phone, but do have this one. Love burning with a great group of guys/girls on the dept.

 

[Hunting Wife]

I think the key to setting back cool season grasses is to get them after they have first greened up a bit. Burning right now with just brown on the ground does nothing except make the surface black and warm. The best fires we have done in terms of actual effect have been mostly smudge-pot like burns that smoke like crazy and have barely visible flames. Hard to get those timed just right. I think August burns would be similar but we don't get to do them either.

That’s what we strive for. Hit them at the right stage for whichever species we’re targeting, but before our warm seasons wake up.…we crawl around and count leaves, look at nodes, etc. We also struggle to get it exactly in the window. Way too much ground to cover. Seems like maybe we’re setting back bluegrass a bit with fire, but we might need to re-evaluate our smooth brome phenology criteria. Grazing might be more effective than burning brome, at least the way we’ve been doing it. And then there’s crested….

But we’re under way too much snow still to even think about burning anything anyway

Have you ever grazed goats for invasive plant control?

I am aware of some places that have grazed goats and sheep for leafy spurge, but it is not my primary strategy for invasive forbs I guess. I do use the cows to keep some of our babies breathe units in check though.

I’m pretty sure if I grazed sheep or goats, my phone would be ringing off the hook with complaints, for a variety of reasons. Heck, I get enough complaints just about the cows.

 

[Nameless Range]

Been present at a few RX burns over the years. When done at work, happy that I’m getting paid to play with fire. When responded to as a fire fighter because they got out of control, usually amazed that folks weren’t more careful.

 

[Stocker]

We do a control burn or 3 every year on CRP or swampy ground. Sometimes they turn into uncontrolled burns.

The biggest danger here is high gusty wind, low humidity days re sparking a months old brush pile fire.

Several years ago I’d burnt a brush pile in December and one mid April gusty day it re sparked and got out of control fast. It’s hard to believe piles will smolder that long.

 

[antlerradar]

And then there’s crested….

I have often wondered what in the hell my ancestors and the other homesteaders were thinking when they planted all those acres in Crested Wheat.

 

[Scott85]

I'd agree, but realistically, prairies burned almost always in the late summer. I've never been able to do one of those, but I would certainly like to. Very little flame from what I've seen.

I strongly dislike fall burns because they are hell on the small critters. I like to leave something above ground for the winter cover.

Army base I use to hunt did fall burns and the area would still smoking and deer would come right in to eat roasted acorns.

 

[Stocker]

This SOB started in Iowa and jumped the river. Cut my turkey hunt short. Now waiting to fight it if one of these hot embers land in the CRP and go. 30mph winds help…………

 

[Gellar]

This SOB started in Iowa and jumped the river. Cut my turkey hunt short. Now waiting to fight it if one of these hot embers land in the CRP and go. 30mph winds help…………View attachment 271416View attachment 271417

Dam iowans

 

[Stocker]

Dam iowans

Exactly. I’ve never seen one jump the Missouri. This one is going well into tomorrow. They evacuated the lake below my in-laws and are fighting structure fires there now. I can’t leave here to help because there’s no extra truck to come here if goes up

 

[Stocker]

1/4 mile from my in-laws and way closer to 300 lake houses.

 

[Gellar]

1/4 mile from my in-laws and way closer to 300 lake houses. View attachment 271420

Stay safe! Good luck.

 

[Stocker]

The Calvary arrived.

 

[DouglasR]

 

[TheTone]

Saw a really nice steep grass/brush eyebrow today that was burned off in the past week. So long to that small patch of bird habitat in the middle of annual farm land. Is it really any wonder that upland bird populations around me are absolutely terrible?

 

[vagabond]

I have been doing small burns on the farm. I prefer a steady wind from the West for my control. I have many firebreaks and start my burn on the extreme downwind edge and it creeps upwind to another firebreak and me on a hose. I have never lost one, yet, but I am slowing down with age!