MNWR Photo - USFWS
In 2003, Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge will again use prescribed fire as a management tool. Seven areas of the refuge totaling 144 acres will be burned between March and August, 2003. Each prescribed burn is expected to take approximately two to six hours to complete.
Prescribed burns are controlled events that are carefully planned for, while wildfires are out of control catastrophic events. Prescribed burns are used in many areas to prevent conditions such as the accumulation of fuels (dead trees, twigs, leaves, needles, dead grasses) that lead to raging, out of control wildfires. This is particularly important in arid climates. Montezuma's prescribed burns are not conducted to prevent wildfires, but to improve wildlife habitats.
Most of the prescribed burning at Montezuma involves grassland habitats. Many of these areas have encroaching shrubs and many grasses that are not highly desirable to wildlife. Burning of these areas removes residual plant material and reduces the competition for the more desirable plant species. Prescribed grassland fires are of low intensity and creep across the fields at a slow pace.
Marsh areas choked off with cattail, Phragmites and purple loosestrife are also scheduled for burning this spring. These areas were treated with a herbicide last summer and the burn will remove the dead plant material in order to establish a less dense, more desirable plant community. Fires in these areas move quickly and are usually of greater intensity because of the greater amount of fuel (dead plant material).
All the prescribed burning at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge is done to improve the quality of wildlife habitats.
The burning at Montezuma will be concluded before many species begin nesting. Typically, wildlife leave areas being burned as soon as they sense the fire. The signals wildlife respond to include: sight, sound, smell and increased temperature. Wildlife benefits of prescribed burns are observed immediately after the fire. Predators such as northern harriers, great blue herons and red foxes are the first to reap the benefits as prey species such as meadow voles, snakes and frogs move across a burned area with no concealing cover. Within days, new plant growth begins to emerge. Within weeks, little or no sign of the fire remains and herbivores dine on tender young plants. The long term benefit of the improved habitat far outweighs any individual sacrifice caused by the fire.
MNWR Photo - USFWS
Prescribed burning requires long term planning. Staff is trained and identified burn areas are prepared when needed. Each site has safety zones for personnel in cases of an unforeseen problem and fire breaks to control the area of the fire. Fire breaks are areas that will not carry a fire because of the lack of adequate fuels. Gravel roads, water and mowed or disked paths are common fire breaks used at Montezuma. Specially trained refuge staff and fire extinguishing equipment used to ignite and control the fire and to ensure public safety. Specific weather and site conditions are required to control the extent and intensity of the fire as well as manage smoke. If these conditions are not present the burn will not take place