“Fire is never a gentle master.” - Proverb

It has been an interesting week and one I don't want to repeat...

I am late with this week’s blog because I was busy fighting fires most of the weekend and Monday.

So…. First, an update: We do have some stuff planted at the flower patch!  Bachelor buttons, Echinacea, and bupleurum succession ONE is planted.  

We are waiting until the 3rd week of March to plant our next planting.  We will also be planting our first Pea Patch at Greentown Produce at that time!

Today’s topic, as you saw, was about burning.  

Last Saturday, the 24th I had in my plans to do an evening/night burn of an 11 acre timber tract.  In the past foresters referred to these as controlled burns, but now they have shifted to calling them prescribed burns.  The events on a neighbor’s property explains why the naming committee has changed their terminology. 

My neighbor set a “controlled” burn on his property about 2:15 in the afternoon with light to variable winds in place.  He set from a position away from his house and thought he had the situation planned out.

I was planning to burn my tract starting at about 5:30 pm, because I had researched the wind forecast, studied the humidity forecast, and did all the nerd farmer things that I have learned to do in by 48 revolutions around the sun.

My neighbor did not check the weather and missed the fact that we had forecast winds in the 15-20 MPH range and a low daytime humidity. He was trying to reduce the wildfire fuel and make his 120 acre holding safer with the upcoming fire season.

Unfortunately, the wind picked up and drove a 25ft wall of fire toward his house…  His wife called me and asked me to move his tractor.  I drove over and moved the tractor, assessed the situation, pushed a small fire lane, and prayed.  I didn’t like what I saw.  

Luckily, for the neighbor, Wes, my dozer guy with WS Construction LLC. had his CAT at the house and was on the scene within 30 minutes to reduce the damages.  I went to work with a metal rake, employing the skills that my grandfather taught me. Rake and back burn, rake and back burn.  This became the story of the next FIVE HOURS!

We got the fire contained by about 8:30 that night. The “controlled” burn was anything but and my personal prescribed burn is yet to be realized.

Why do we burn anyway?

On my property there are several reasons.  

1. It is spring and the woods are full of ticks.  Ticks carry an array of diseases. I like to be in my woods, I do not like ticks.

2. Wildfires are worse where fuel such as pine straw and fallen trees are allowed to build up.  A good burn on a calm night is better than a sucking wall of flame trying to burn out the treetops!

3. Post burn brings fresh grass and unlocks nutrients for the living plants to access. I love seeing the green up after a nice slow burn.

So, what about the burn at the Greentown Flower Patch?

Well, I am monitoring the current burn ban and fire weather conditions.   I will likely only have a couple good days left in the spring to finish my tick killing activity.  In a week or so, they will drop the burn ban…. We will get a little rain, and the winds will be forecast to drop. 

I’ll most likely burn late in the evening and into the night to take advantage of the lower winds and higher humidity that are typical at night.  I don’t burn with winds over 5 MPH in the forecast.  I also make sure the forecast isn’t for variable winds. A perfect example: the winds for Saturday the 24th were supposed to change at about 5:15 pm according to the forecast.  They were pushing 15-20 MPH out of the northwest, then they were going to shift to the southeast and drop to about 3 MPH.  I would have set my fire with the wind in my face to get a safe burn space around my home and shifted my burn to the west as I worked to keep the flame working its way upwind.  If the flame ever gets over about 4’ high with my current fuel load, I am not following my plan.  I want it to burn all of the fuel slowly and not rush over burning up my timber and barely touching my ground fuel. 

If you have property to burn: 

1. I suggest talking to the local fire crew in your area.  Often they will be available to help.   They may also be able to fill you in on the laws regarding burning.  There are many proactive fire crews out there. 

2. Always watch the weather!  

3. I also suggest hiring a professional. There are people with expertise in putting out fires, planning prescribed burns, etc. If you aren’t sure where to start, see if there are any local timber managers around your area.

4. If you aren’t sure that you can keep the fire contained and safe.  DON’T DO IT!  

5. Remember, you are responsible for damages if the fire gets away from you.  

Until next week.  I plan to relax. 

This is Louis Green ….

Love Ya, 

BYE