Florida Forest Service Sets National Prescribed Fire Record

1/3/2017 (Permalink)

The Florida Forest Service has announced that more than 246,000 acres of Florida state forests were treated with prescribed fire last year, the highest number ever reported by any state forestry agency in the country. The Florida Forest Service administers the top prescribed fire program in the nation. Prescribed fire is a safe way to apply a natural process, ensure ecosystem health and reduce wildfire risk.

"Fortunately, there were many days last year that exhibited conditions favorable for prescribed fire. Conditions can change quickly and drastically in Florida, so the Florida Forest Service has made it a priority to take advantage of favorable conditions whenever they are present,” said Jim Karels, Florida State Forester and NASF President.

Prescribed fire is an important land management tool used to protect Florida’s homes, structures and valuable natural resources by reducing the buildup of flammable plant materials. The reduction of this hazardous buildup results in increased wildfire safety for surrounding areas. In addition, many of Florida’s plant and animal communities, such as its deer and quail populations, are dependent on the regular occurrence of fire for a healthy existence. Prescribed fires mimic this natural process, returning nutrients to the soil, providing better forage for wildlife and livestock, and helping control certain plant and tree diseases. Prescribed fires also help preserve rare and endangered plant and animal species including as the Yellow Fringeless Orchid found on the Blackwater River State Forest.

Because of prescribed fire’s important role in Florida’s ecosystems, the Florida Forest Service works hand-in-hand with private landowners and partnering agencies to promote the use of prescribed fire throughout Florida. In addition to its record breaking state forest prescribed fire program, the Florida Forest Service boasts the most active overall statewide prescribed burning program in the nation.

As the managing agency for all outdoor burning within the state of Florida, the Florida Forest Service provides a unique program that trains and verifies individuals as Certified Prescribed Burn Managers. This program helps to promote and increase the use of prescribed fire on private forest lands in Florida. Anyone who uses prescribed fire or conducts controlled burns on a regular basis should consider enrolling in this useful and educational program.

Certified Prescribed Burn Managers receive certain extra privileges such as liability protections, additional burn time and permission to obtain nighttime burning authorizations (when favorable conditions are present). Certified Prescribed Burn Managers also have the advantage of being able to submit open burn authorization requests online. Further information and application forms can be found at www.FloridaForestService.com or by contacting the Withlacoochee Training Center at (352) 797-4172.

The Florida Forest Service manages more than one million acres of public forestland while protecting 26 million acres of homes, forestland and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire. To learn more about Florida Forest Service programs, visit www.FloridaForestService.com.

- See more at: http://www.stateforesters.org/news-events/blog/florida-forest-service-sets-national-prescribed-fire-record#sthash.TutqbDGs.dpuf