The Bernheim fire team headed by burn-boss Rick Caldwell has been hard at it. The team is attempting to get in 17 different burns this year. Each burn plot has its’ own unique fire prescription which takes into account the type of fuel (grassland, woodland, etc) the topography and the ecosystem management goals that the burn is intended to help accomplish. No burn unit is ever ignited until a complex set of conditions is met. That includes weather conditions which have proven to be a bit more difficult this year than in past years due to rain. The intent is to use the natural processes of fire to help maintain the ecological integrity of our thousands of acres of natural areas. This picture is of a burn that took place on 3-22-13. The spring burn season at Bernheim runs from mid-March to mid-April for the most part.
