Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR)
Prescribed Burn April 15th, 2005
A period of warm and dry weather in early spring, prior to green-up, provides ideal conditions for land
management agencies to accomplish prescribed burning activities.
Fire is an important process in maintaining habitats for many species of plants and animals. The development
of towns, roads and farmland as well as effective fire suppression activities has strictly limited natural
fires from maintaining balance in various habitats. Prescribed burning is now used to return fire to these
areas in a controlled fashion so that it may continue its vital role. Prescribed burning also reduces heavy
buildup of dead wood and other debris, thereby decreasing the threat of catastrophic wildfire.
On April 15, 2005, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources field personnel conducted a small
prescribed burn for a group of foreasters from the NWS office in Milwaukee/Sullivan. This prescribed burn was just
a few miles from the office and provided a great opportunity for the forecasters to experience a controlled
burn and understand the sensitivity of these operations to subtle and local changes in weather conditions.
A small wind shift from what was expected could cause a fire to get out of control. Before WDNR field personnel
start a fire, they get a full weather briefing on current and forecast weather conditions.
A thank you is extended to the WDNR for providing this great opportunity to get more familiar with their
prescribed burning activities.
The controlled burn starts with a backfire. The backfire is lit on the downwind side of the area
being burned. The fire spreads up-wind at a slow and controllable pace. This produces a zone of
burned material that contains the fire zone. |
The backfire is contained using water. This person follows on the heels of the individual lighting
the backfire. |
Once the backfire zone of burned material is wide enough to ensure fire containment, the head
and/or perimeter fire is lit. This is ignited on the up-wind side of the area being burned. Once
ignited, the wind drives the fire into the dry fuels and the fire spreads very quickly. |
The fire is spreading quickly. |
Impressive flare-up in dry grassland. |
The fire perimeter is watched closely.
|
Ned Johnston, Lead Forecaster, in a completely unscripted pose. (And it's
true, he plans on retiring in the Fall of 2005!) |
Mopping up any lingering hot spots.
|
John Eise, Ned Johnston and Rusty Kapela (l-r), talk with the DNR about the fire and
the importance of accurate weather forecasts. |
|
The controlled burn starts with a backfire. The backfire is lit on the downwind side of the area
being burned. The fire spreads up-wind at a slow and controllable pace. This produces a zone of
burned material that contains the fire zone. 
The backfire is contained using water. This person follows on the heels of the individual lighting
the backfire. 
Once the backfire zone of burned material is wide enough to ensure fire containment, the head
and/or perimeter fire is lit. This is ignited on the up-wind side of the area being burned. Once
ignited, the wind drives the fire into the dry fuels and the fire spreads very quickly. 
The fire is spreading quickly. 
Impressive flare-up in dry grassland. 
The fire perimeter is watched closely.
Ned Johnston, Lead Forecaster, in a completely unscripted pose. (And it's
true, he plans on retiring in the Fall of 2005!)
Mopping up any lingering hot spots.
John Eise, Ned Johnston and Rusty Kapela (l-r), talk with the DNR about the fire and
the importance of accurate weather forecasts.
