United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Southern Region, February 1989; Technical Publication R8-TP 11.
| Purpose |
Time of Burn |
Size of Burn |
Type of Fire |
Frequency |
Remarks |
| Reduce Fires |
Winter |
Large enough to break fuel continuity |
Not critical. Do not ring fire. |
2 to 4 years. |
Use line-backing fire, or point-source fires under moist conditions for initial burn. Grid-firing technique excellent for maintenance of burns. |
| Improve Wildlife Habitat |
|
|
|
|
General - Protect transitional or fringe areas. Do not burn stream bottoms. |
| Deer |
Winter preferred |
Small or leave unburned areas |
Backing fire or point-source fires |
2 to 4 years |
Want to promote sprouting and keep browse within reach. Repeat summer fires may kill some rootstocks. |
| Turkey |
Winter preferred; summer burns in July-August |
Small or leave unburned areas |
Backing fire or point-source fires |
2 to 4 years |
Avoid April through June nesting season. |
| Quail |
Late winter |
25+ acres |
Not critical. Do not ring fire |
1 to 2 years |
Avoid April through June nesting season. Leave unburned patches and thickets |
| Dove |
Winter |
Not critical |
Not critical. Do not ring fire |
Not critical |
Leave unburned patches and thickets. |
| Waterfowl |
Late fall or winter |
Not critical |
Heading fire |
2+ years |
Marshland only. Do not burn in hardwood swamps. |
| Control Competing Vegetation |
Heavy roughs in winter, otherwise not critical |
Not critical |
Not critical. Do not ring fire |
2 to 8 years |
Summer bruns result in higher rootstock kill and affect larger stems. Exclude fire from desirable hardwoods in pine-hardwood type. |
| Improve Forage For Grazing |
Winter through late spring for most situations |
Not critical but will be damaged by overuse if too small for heard. |
Not critical. Do not ring fire |
3 years |
Split range and burn one-third each year. Individal herbs and grasses respond differently to fire and season of burn. Consult expert. |
| Improve Accessibility |
Will vary with understory and desired use |
Varies with individual situation |
Depends on amount of fuel present |
As needed |
Coordinate with other resource objectives. They will dictate size, timing and frequency of burn. |
| Control Disease |
Brownspot, winter |
Depends on size of infected area. Include a buffer strip |
Strip-heading or heading fire |
2 to 3 years |
Burn when humidity is above 50%. Avoid leaving unburned pockets of infected seedlings within or adjacent to burn. |
| Enhanced Appearance |
Late fall through late winter |
Varies with each situation |
Backing fire or point-source fire |
1+ years |
Requires precise prescription to protect vegetative type changes. Know effect of fire frequency and season of burn on both annual an biennial flowering plants. Provide pleasing visual lines. |
| Perpetuate Fire Dependent Species |
Will vary with species |
Will vary but usually fairly small |
Will vary with fuel conditions and species requirements |
Will vary with species |
Fire intensity, timing and frequency all dictated by species requirements. |
| Young Pine Stands |
Winter |
Varies with size of stand |
Backing fire |
2 to 4 years |
Pine diameter 3 inches or more at ground. Pine height above 10 ft. Burn only after a strong cold front with rain. |
| Dispose of Logging Debris |
Not critical |
Small areas mean fewer nighttime smoke problems |
Center firing with helitorch preferred |
-- |
Smoke management is a must! Take care not to damage soil or water resources with these hot fires. If a broadcast burn will not meet objectives, pile - do not windrow debris. |
| Prepare Sites For Seeding |
Natural seeding, summer to early fall prior to seed fall. |
Large enough to prevent concentrations of birds & rodents (usually 10 acres of more.) |
Not critical. Do not ring fire |
-- |
Be careful not to kill seed trees. If logging debris present, manage your smoke. |
| |
Direct seeding, fall to late winter for spring sowing of longleaf |
Large enough to prevent concentration of birds & rodents (usually 10 acres or more) |
Not critical. Center firing with helitorch preferred if slash present |
-- |
If logging debris present, smoke management is a must! Take care not to damage soil or water resoucred with these hot fires. |
| Prepare Sites For Planting |
Growing season for hardwood control |
Large enough to prevent concentrations of birds & rodents (usually 10 acres or more) |
Not critical. Central firing with helitorch preferred if slash present. |
-- |
If logging debris present, smoke management is a must! Take care not to damage soil or water resources with these hot fires. |
