Part of a series on Wildland Firefighting
Main articles
Wildfire  · Bushfire Wildland fire suppression
Agencies
National Interagency Fire Center USFS  · BLM CALFIRE  · CALFIRE Aviation New South Wales Rural Fire Service  · Country Fire Authority, Victoria  · Country Fire Service, South Australia
Tactics & Equipment
Incident Command System Hotshots Controlled burn Firebreak  · Fire trail Fire lookout tower Fire retardant  · MAFFS Helicopter bucket  · Driptorch
Aerial firefighting
Aerial firefighting Helitack  · Smokejumper
Lists
List of wildfires Glossary of wildland fire terms This box: view • talk • edit

Firing the woods in a South Carolina forest with a custom made igniter mounted on an all terrain vehicle. A wildfire, also known as a wildland fire, forest fire, brush fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, Peat fire, Ladysmith-RFSJPG|right|thumb| Ladysmith NSW RFS fire fighting tanker]]A Bushfire is a Fire that occurs in the bush (collective term for Wildland fire suppression refers to the firefighting tactics used to suppress wildfires The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC in Boise, Idaho, is the physical facility that is home to the National Interagency Coordination Center (NICC The Bureau of Land Management (BLM is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's Public lands totaling approximately The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF or CAL FIRE is the State of California's agency responsible for the administration of the state's private The CDF Aviation Management Program is a branch of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF The New South Wales Rural Fire Service (RFS is a volunteer-based firefighting agency and statutory body of the NSW Government History CFA operates under the Country Fire Authority Act of 1958 its amendments and Regulations About the CFS The Country Fire Service (CFS is the volunteer combatant authority for Firefighting, road crash and hazardous materials in the country The Incident Command System (ICS is a standardized on-scene all-hazard incident management concept in the United States. A Hotshot Crew, or Hotshots as they are more sometimes known is a group of wildland firefighters. A firebreak (also called a fireroad, fire line or fuel break) is a gap in Vegetation or other combustible material that acts as a barrier to A fire trail is a rural road built specifically for the purpose of access for "fire management purposes" A fire lookout tower, fire tower or lookout tower, provides housing and protection for a person known as a " Fire lookout " whose duty it A fire retardant is a substance that helps to delay or prevent Combustion. The Modular Airborne FireFighting System or MAFFS is a self-contained unit used for Aerial firefighting that can be loaded onto a military cargo transport typically A helicopter bucket is a specialised bucket suspended on a cable carried by a Helicopter to deliver water for Aerial firefighting. A driptorch is a tool used in wildland firefighting, controlled burning, and other Forestry applications to intentionally ignite fires Aerial firefighting is a method to combat Wildfires using aircraft Helitack refers to "helicopter-delivered fire resources" and is the system of managing and using Helicopters and their crews to perform Aerial firefighting A smokejumper is a Wildland firefighter that Parachutes into a remote area to combat Wildfires Smokejumpers are most often deployed to fires This is a list of notorious Wildfires: North America In Australia Black Friday Bushfires of 1939 ( South The following is a glossary of wildland fire terms. Except where noted terms are taken from a 1998 Fireline Handbook transcribed for a Conflict 21 Counter-terrorism The device spits flaming fuel oil from the side, instantly firing the leaf litter.

A prescribed burn in a Pinus nigra stand in Portugal

Controlled field burn off in preparation for Spring planting in South Georgia.

Prescribed or controlled burning (back burning or Swailing) is a technique sometimes used in forest management, farming, prairie restoration or greenhouse gas abatement. A forest is an area with a high density of Trees There are many definitions of a forest based on various criteria Management (covering theory practice and scope of management and Manager' (covering the people who manage might help clarify and systematise Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture Prairie restoration is an ecologically friendly way to restore some of the Prairie land that was lost to Industry, Farming and Commerce Greenhouse gases are gaseous constituents of the atmosphere bothnatural and anthropogenic that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of thermal infrared Fire is a natural part of both forest and grassland ecology and controlled fire can be a tool for foresters. Fire is the heat and light energy released during a Chemical reaction, in particular a combustion reaction. Ecology (from Greek grc οἶκος oikos, "house(hold" and grc -λογία -logia) is the scientific study of A forester is a person who practices Forestry, the science and profession of managing forests Controlled burning stimulates the germination of some desirable forest trees, thus renewing the forest. Germination is the process whereby growth emerges from a period of dormancy A tree is a perennial Woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or Some seeds, such as sequoia, remain dormant until fire breaks down the seed coating. A seed (in some plants referred to as a kernel) is a small embryonic Plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat usually with some stored Sequoia sempervirens is the sole living Species of the Genus Sequoia in the cypress family Cupressaceae (formerly

In industrialized countries, controlled burning is usually overseen by fire control authorities for regulations and permits. The party responsible must delineate the intended time and place. Obtaining a permit may not limit liability if the fire burns out of control.

Forest use

Another consideration is the issue of fire prevention. Fire safety refers to precautions that are taken to prevent or reduce the likelihood of a Fire that may result in death injury or property damage alert those in a structure In Florida, during the drought in 1998, catastrophic wildfires burned numerous homes. Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) A wildfire, also known as a wildland fire, forest fire, brush fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, Peat fire, But forestry managers note that the underlying problem was prior cessation of controlled burning, due to complaints by homeowners. Each year additional leaf litter and dropped branches increased the likelihood of a hot and uncontrollable fire. In Botany, a leaf is an above-ground Plant organ specialized for Photosynthesis.

Controlled burns are sometimes ignited using a tool known as the driptorch, which allows a steady stream of flaming fuel to be directed to the ground as needed. A driptorch is a tool used in wildland firefighting, controlled burning, and other Forestry applications to intentionally ignite fires Variations on the driptorch can be used such as the helitorch, which is mounted on a helicopter, or other improvised devices such as mounting a driptorch-like device on the side of a vehicle. History Since 400 AD Chinese children have played with bamboo flying toys. Vehicles, derived from the Latin word vehiculum, are non-living Means of transport. A pyrotechnic device known as the fusee can also be used in ignition. The term "pyrotechnics" can also be used for Fireworks events

For the burning of slash, waste materials left over from logging, there are several types of controlled burns. Slash, or slashings, is a forestry term that refers to coarse and fine woody debris generated during Logging operations or through wind snow or other natural WASTE is a Peer-to-peer and Friend-to-friend protocol and software application developed by Justin Frankel at Nullsoft in 2003 that features Logging is the process in which Trees are cut down for Forest management and Timber. Broadcast burning is the burning of scattered slash over a wide area. Pile burning is gathering up the slash into piles before burning. These burning piles may be referred to as bonfires. See also Campfire. bonfire is a large controlled outdoor Fire. High temperatures can harm the soil, damaging it physically, chemically or sterilizing it. Temperature is a physical property of a system that underlies the common notions of hot and cold something that is hotter generally has the greater temperature Soil, often typeset as SOiL, is a four piece rock band from Chicago Illinois United States founded by Shaun Glass Tom Schofield Tim King and Adam Zadel Physical change is a concept introduced to contrast with the concept of Chemical change. Is a process in which Reactants are changed into one or more different products. Sterilization (or sterilisation, see spelling differences) refers to any process that effectively kills or eliminates transmissible agents (such as Fungi Broadcast burns tend to have lower temperatures and will not harm the soil as much as pile burning, though steps can be taken to treat the soil after a burn. In lop and scatter burning, slash is left to compact over time, or is compacted with machinery. This produces a lower intensity fire, as long as the slash is not packed too tightly. However, soil may be damaged if machinery is used to compress the slash.

Controversy

George D. Kessler, professor of forestry, and extension forester at Clemson University notes that controlled burning reduces fuels, may improve wildlife habitat, controls competing vegetation, improves short term forage for grazing, improves accessibility, helps control tree disease, and perpetuates fire dependent species. Forestry is the Art and Science of managing forests tree Plantations and related Natural resources. Fuel is any material that is burned or altered in order to obtain energy Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants animals and other organisms A habitat (which is Latin for "it inhabits" is an Ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular Species. A tree is a perennial Woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or A disease is an abnormal condition of an organism that impairs bodily functions and can be deadly In old growth longleaf pine forest, it helps maintain habitat for endangered Red-cockaded Woodpeckers in their sandhill and flatwoods habitats. The 'Longleaf Pine' ( Pinus palustris) is a Pine native to the southeast United States, found along the coastal plain from eastern Texas to southeast An endangered species is a population of an organism which is at risk of becoming Extinct because it is either few in numbers or threatened by changing environmental or predation About the size of the Northern Cardinal, the Red-cockaded Woodpecker ( Picoides borealis) is approximately 8 A sandhill is an ecological Community type found in many parts of the world Flatwoods refers to an ecological community in the Southeastern coastal plain of North America However many scientists disagree with such a simplistic approach, and indicate that each forest must be assessed on its own merit.

There are critics of controlled burns as a forest management practice. Ohio environmentalist Barbara A. Ohio ( is a Midwestern state of the United States. As part of the Great Lakes region, Ohio has long been a cultural and geographical crossroads Environmentalism is a broad philosophy and Social movement centered on a concern for the conservation and improvement of the environment. Lund believes that burnings are harmful to the environment. Her assertion is that controlled burning may be harmful to eastern hardwood forests because animals that may not be able to flee the flames will die during the burns. ^[1]

Agricultural use

In addition to forest management, controlled burning is also used in agriculture. In the developing world, this is often referred to as slash and burn. Slash and burn consists of cutting and burning of Forests or Woodlands to create fields for Agriculture or Pasture for Livestock, or In industrialized nations, it is seen as one component of shifting cultivators as a part of field preparation for planting. For methods see Slash and burn Shifting cultivation is an Agricultural system in which plots of land are cultivated temporarily then abandoned Often called field burning, this technique is used to clear the land of any existing crop residue as well as kill weeds and weed seeds. Field burning is less expensive than most other methods such as herbicides or tillage but because it does produce smoke and other fire related pollutants, its use is not popular in agricultural areas bounded by residential housing. In the United States, field burning is a legislative and regulatory issue at both the Federal and state levels of government. First used significantly in the Neolithic Revolution (i. The Neolithic Revolution was the first Agricultural revolution &mdashthe transition from hunting and gathering communities and bands to Agriculture and e. about 9-11,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age when hunter gatherers turned to farming).

Controversy

In Oregon, field burning has been widely used by grass seed farmers as a method for clearing fields for the next round of planting, as well as revitalizing grasses that require fire in order to grow seed again. Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Grass is the common word that generally describes Monocotyledonous green Plants The family Gramineae ( Poaceae) are the "true grasses" and include The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality began requiring a permit for farmers to burn their fields in 1981, but the requirements became stricter in 1988 following a multi-car accident^[2] in which smoke from field burning near Albany, Oregon obscured the vision of drivers on Interstate 5, leading to 23-car accident in which seven people died and 37 were injured. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ is the chief regulatory agency of the government of the U Albany is a city in Benton and Linn Counties in the western part of the U Interstate 5 (I-5 is the main Interstate highway on the West Coast of the United States, paralleling the Pacific Ocean from Canada to Mexico ^[3] This resulted in more scrutiny of field burning and proposals to ban field burning in the state altogether. ^[4]

Heathland Use

Gorse and Heather are burnt on the Cornish cliffs.

The controlled burning or Swailing of heathland is used in the UK and other countries as a conservation tool. Heaths are Shrubland habitats characterised by open low growing woody Vegetation, found on mainly infertile Acidic soils Conservation can be confused with Conversation and vice versa Often it is used as a tool for creating fire breaks to reduce the risk of dangerous outbreaks but is also an important mechanism for preventing succession to woodier vegetation and plays an important role in the life cycle of heather species. Calluna vulgaris (also known as Ling is the sole species in the Genus Calluna in the family Ericaceae. ^[5]

Greenhouse gas abatement

Controlled burns on Australian savannas can result in an overall reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. A savanna or savannah is a Tropical or Subtropical Grassland or Woodland Ecosystem. One working example is the West Arnhem Fire Management Agreement, started to bring "strategic fire management across 28,000 km² of Western Arnhem Land" to partially offsetting greenhouse gas emissions from a Liquefied natural gas plant in Darwin, Australia. Not to be confused with Natural Gas Liquids (NGL Liquefied natural gas or LNG is Natural gas (primarily Methane, CH4 Deliberately starting controlled burns early in the dry season results in a mosaic of burnt and unburnt country which reduces the area of stronger, late dry season fires. ^[6]

See also

• Agroecology
• Country Fire Service (South Australia)
• Country Fire Authority (Victoria, Australia)
• Fire-stick farming
• Flora of Australia
• New South Wales Rural Fire Service (Australia)
• Shifting cultivation

References

External links

• BBC News Devon Swailing
• Northern Arizona University
• Tall Timbers Research Center and Land Conservancy
• U.S. National Park Service Prescribed Fire Policy
• Savanna Oak Foundation article on controlled burns
• http://www.epa.gov/oecaagct/tburn.html United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) article concerning air pollution consequences of controlled burning
• The Nature Conservancy's Global Fire Initiative
• Strategic fire management West Arnhem Land Fire Abatement Project, Tropical Savannas Cooperative Research Centre
• Fire management and greenhouse gas emissions West Arnhem Land Fire Abatement Project, Tropical Savannas CRC