Prescribed Burning
An effort has been made to italicize technical words or phrases and clearly define them in the glossary.
South Carolina law requires that the South Carolina Forestry Commission be notified prior to burning. Precautions must be taken to prevent the fire's escape. Ensure that the burn site is enclosed by adequate fuel breaks; have sufficient manpower, tools, and equipment available to control the fire; and stay with the fire until it is safe.
Prescribed fire is a very useful silvicultural tool. It can be used to prepare a site for planting by reducing logging debris or to prepare a seedbed for seed fall. Prescribed fire can also be used later in the life of a forest for silvicultural purposes, to improve wildlife habitat, and to reduce the hazard of wildfire.
Studies have shown that properly planned and conducted prescribed burning has no significant impact on water quality. Most problems associated with prescribed burning are a result of poor planning and changing weather conditions. Where a prescribed fire becomes too hot, the entire humus layer can be consumed, exposing the underlying mineral soil to erosion.
Prescribed burning requires an understanding of weather conditions, fuel conditions, wildfire danger, smoke management, and a host of other factors. It should only be attempted by experienced personnel.
BMPs
- Comply with smoke management guidelines. Smoke should be monitored after the burn until it is no longer a hazard.
- Have firefighting equipment readily available.
- Time prescribed fires so that the moisture level of the forest floor prevents the entire humus layer from being burned.
- Locate firebreaks on the contour as much as possible.
- On grades over 5 percent and over 200 feet long, construct water bars in firebreak lines at frequent intervals to slow surface runoff.
- Use hand tools when it is necessary to tie firebreak lines into stream channels.
Avoid
- Burning when conditions will cause a fire to burn too hot and expose mineral soil.
- Impacting smoke sensitive areas.
- Allowing high intensity fire to enter filter strips or primary Streamside Management Zones (SMZs).
- Burning on severely eroded forest soils where the average litter duff depth is less than one-half inch.
- Constructing water bars in firebreak lines that divert surface runoff directly into streams.
Contents
Streamside Management Zones /
Forest Road Construction /
Timber Harvesting /
Site Preparation /
Reforestation /
Stream Crossings /
Pesticides /
Fertilization /
Minor Drainage /
Endangered Species Act /
Additional Management Options: Wildlife Management /
Glossary
Forest Management/ Reference Resources / Environmental Forestry/ Braided Stream Systems