Cal Fire and UCCE Conducted a Controlled Burn North of Redway Yesterday
Yesterday, Cal Fire’s Humboldt and Del Norte Counties Unit worked with the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) on a controlled burn north of Redway at the Eel River Conservation Camp in Southern Humboldt.
According to a press release from Cal Fire,
The control burn is part of a research effort by the UCCE to better understand the effects of agricultural grazing on wildland fire behavior.
The control burn consumed just over two acres of grass in various test plots at Eel River Camp.[Photos from Cal Fire]
Fire engines, hand crew personnel, and fire line supervisors were all in attendance to ensure the burn was conducted safely.
Control burns like this are sometimes conducted by the department during summer months, but considerable planning comes first.
Written plans are established, sufficient fire suppression resources must be at scene, additional resources must also be available, and weather conditions have to be favorable before the final decision to burn is made. CAL FIRE staff make these decisions based on years of training and experience, and knowledge of local fire behavior and the capabilities of firefighting resources.[Photos from Cal Fire]
CAL FIRE would like to thank the UCCE for their science-based work to better understand how different levels of grazing can affect wildfire and its use as a means of reducing fire severity.
[Photos from Cal Fire]
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Good they’re doing this research.
It would be interesting to run a test with actual grazing. since one pass of a weed eater is not the same as repeated passes by cattle over time, to which the plants adapt. Also, cattle graze different plant species at different rates (some not at all). And their trampling will have an effect as well.
Susan, I agree with you concerning research. We have a few head of cattle, and there are some weeds and other plants with little stickers that hey refuse to eat. They seem to follow the same trails during grazing which does very little to knock down the tall grass. We are extremely careful during the hot and dry conditions with any type of equipment such as mowing tractors, bulldozers, etc., all which can create a spark and you have a fire to deal with. Fire safety is at the top of our list!