1. PRESCRIBED FIRE BASICS
PAT DEREN, FLORIDA FOREST SERVICE

2. Fire in Florida: Historical Perspective
Lightning-caused fires
mainly summer months
most area probably burned in May-June
Human-ignited fires
native Americans used for variety of reasons
widely applied in early 1900s - mainly winter
fire exclusion policy in last 70 years

3. # wildfires/year
# acres burned/year
Q. Why this peak? A. The spring drought

4. Florida Ecosystems Fire Maintained Fire Influenced Flatwoods
High pine / Sandhill
Scrub
Sawgrass prairies
Cypress swamps
Other grasslands
Freshwater marshes
Salt marshes
Fire Influenced
Upland hardwoods
Dunes
Subtropical forests
Mangroves

5. Grassland or wet prairie Fire interval 1-6 years

6. If Fire is Absent? Vegetation Soils tree density & cover increase
composition shifts to shade tolerant species
growth rates & tree vigor decline
herbaceous forage and shrubs decline
Soils
organic matter accumulates
nutrient cycles slow

7. If Fire is Absent? Animals
late successional species replace seral species
populations of many species decline
endemic “pest” insects & diseases increase
Ecosystem processes
tend to simplify in structure & function
stream flow & on-site water balance decrease
potential for large fires increase

8. Fire Effects on Plant Communities
Competition for moisture, nutrients & light are temporarily reduced
Certain species may be selectively eliminated
Species composition and successional stages are altered
Susceptibility to blowdown may be altered

9. Effects on Animals: General Principles
Many Florida species have evolved in a fire environment
Mortality levels are generally low
Effects on cover and food sources are substantial but vary across the landscape
Fire intensities may be:
reduced by grazing
increased by insect damage

10. Firing Techniques Backing fire Head fire Flanking fire Spot fire
Ring fire

11. Always do a test fire!

12. All techniques begin with a secure baseline

13. BOATING

14. SMOKE MANAGEMENT DEFINED
A plan of action where prescribed burning is conducted in such a way that smoke produced is dispersed without causing a health or safety hazard.
WE ARE TRYING TO MIINIMIZE OR MANAGE THE EFFECT SMOKE HAS ON THE PULIC
HOW CAN YOU ACHIEVE THIS GOAL??
MINIMIZE
DIRECT
LEAD IN 4 NEXT SLIDE
TO MANAGE SMOKE WE NEED TO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT:
ITS MAKEUP
FACTORS AFFECTING IT
WAY TO MINIMIZE IT
START WITH HOW SMOKE IS PRODUCED

15. What is Smoke?? Byproduct of the combustion process
Major Products of Combustion:
Water Vapor
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
Major Pollutants of Combustion:
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Particulate matter**
TO MANAGE SOMETHING IT HELPS TO KNOW WHAT IT IS----SO WHAT IS SMOKE??
AS ORGANIC MATERIAL BURNS THE CHEMICAL PROCESS CREATES SEVERAL PRODUCTS
MOISTURE IS HEATED INTO WATER VAPOR (WHITE SMOKE)
THE ORGANIC MATTER IS BROKEN DOWN INTO GASSES LIKE CO2
POLLUTANTS ARE ALSO PRODUCED-VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW THESE CAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR HARM TO PEOPLE
CO IS A POISON GAS BUT IS QUICKLY DIFFUSED
PARTICULATES ARE CONCERN #1---VISIBLE, MIXES W/WATER VAPOR- CARRY A LONG WAY
PEOPLE SEE IT AND PANIC, DON’T LIKE IT ON THEIR CAR OR POOL, MAKES BREATHING HARD
MEASURED IN PLACES TO PROTECT AIR QUALITY
STORY OF SS CALLER, MAYO BLDG

16. SMOKE SCREENING PROCESS
Determine Fuels
Plot the Smoke Plume
Identify SSA’s
Identify Critical SSA’s
Minimize Risks