Wednesday was a good day for a burn. The wind was right, the humidity was right, and smoke dispersal was good. Excellent conditions are a must for these particular burn units as they have proved tricky in the past. The area is a large field surrounded on three sides by woodland and on the fourth by the highway. It tends to burn hot and fast and we have to be on our toes the whole time. The burn boss has divided the area into six separate units. We burned three of the units.
The man in the picture above is using a drip torch to draw a line of fire across the field. It is the job of the rest of the crew to make sure the fire stays where it is supposed to. You can see where we have put out the flames along the edge. It is hot work and you have to be on constant guard for spot fires that can be ignited outside the assigned unit by flying sparks.
5 comments:
Nice pics and nice symmetry. I would be interested to know more about what it is you do and how you got into this field. It all seems very interesting and useful.
Thanks. In a couple of weeks, when things slow down, I'll try to do a more thorough post soon about ecological burns.
(And many, many thanks to you for your help!)
Your blog is very interesting and I enjoy stoppping in once or twice a week to see your lovely photos. Thanks for sharing your views of the natural world.
I meant to ask, is this a private burn? and if so, are they very expensive?
This particular burn was on state-owned land.
Burns on private land can be done with relatively little expense, but one needs to be sure that someone with expertise is there to assist. Even a small fire can be dangerous if not planned and carried out properly.
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