Eli has recently been getting burn certified and wrote about his experience on prescribed burns with our Kansas City WildLands program.
What is a prescribed burn?
A prescribed burn is a planned fire with a specific goal in mind. They are used as a management practice for grasslands and forests. Prescribed burns are conducted under specific weather conditions by experienced personnel.
Why do we conduct prescribed burns?
Prescribed burns can be used to restore native forest and grassland ecosystems, reduce wildfire risk, and improve wildlife habitat. Prescribed burns mimic the natural role of fire in ecosystems. Many of our native grassland plants are adapted to periodic fires taking place. Prescribed burns can increase native plant diversity and stimulate new growth in prairies.
By Elijah Cox. Eli is a Heartland Tree Alliance Program Associate.
Firing techniques used for controlled burns
Different firing techniques are used to meet the objectives of a prescribed burn. Head fires are fire fronts that spread with the wind or move upslope. They spread rapidly and produce lots of heat. They are used in combination with backing and flank fires. Backing fires move against the wind and burn slowly with less heat. They can be used to make a firebreak called a blackline. This will create a dead zone where the fire can not spread. Flank fires have an intermediate burn rate. They burn hotter and spread faster than backing fires but are less intense than head fires.
Taking part in a prescribed burn with WildLands at Kansas City’s last remnant prairie.
I had the opportunity to take part in a prescribed burn at Jerry Smith Prairie. This is a Kansas City Parks & Rec park which hosts the last original prairie within all of Jackson County. Prescribed burns are used to manage this native grassland habitat. The burn took place in December 2024. We meet up at the Jerry Smith trailhead to have a burn day briefing. The prescribed burn crew leader, known as the burn boss, discussed the objectives of the prescribed burn, and what each crew member’s role would be that day. They made sure people had fire resistant clothing and other personal protective equipment (PPE) needed to safely conduct the burn. We were given a burn plan map that outlined the area to be burned. Experienced crew members were given drip torches for the ignition line. The drip torches provided a precise stream of flammable liquid that is used to start the burn. Other members were given rakes and fire swatters. The fire swatters have a wide rubber flapper used to put out small flames. We used these tools to keep the fire in the prescribed burn area and put out small spot fires. Other crew members operated ATVs with water sprayers to create wet lines along the fire break. We worked as organized groups starting the fire in different sections of the prairie. Experienced crew members communicated about the prescribed burn using walkie talkies.
A combination of firing techniques was used on the burn day. Backing fires were lit to create a dead zone around the prescribed burn area. These were slow moving fires that spread against the wind. Water was sprayed on these areas to create a good fire break. Next flank and head fires were lit on the opposite sides of the prairie. These were faster and stronger than the backing fires. These produced large flames that quickly burned through the prairie grass. We got to see the two fires converge in the center of the prairie. The landscape looked completely different after the fire moved through. Thin twiggy trees and shrubs replace the tall prairie grasses that covered the area.
Burning a prairie may seem harmful to the native plants that grow there. However, prairies cannot exist without fire, and prescribed burns bring a lot of life back into a prairie. They help remove dead grass and other organic material that builds up over time, letting light in to create new space for grasses and forbs to grow. Our native prairie grasses start their growth below the soil. This allows the grasses to survive the fire. After a burn, prairie grasses will put out a lot of new growth. Prescribed burns can create more plant diversity and help prevent woody shrubs from overgrowing a prairie. This helps create rich habitat for grassland birds and other native wildlife.
