Cooling temperatures and increased precipitation means prescribed burns will soon be allowed again throughout Douglas County. KLCC’s Brian Bull reports this can help to prevent wildfires.
Landowners including ranchers and farmers will soon be able to complete prescribed burns in fields, pastures, and hillsides. Officials with the Douglas Forest Protective Association will connect with people on how best to carry out these operations.
Kyle Reed is the association’s spokesman. He says they average 3,500 acres a year throughout the Douglas District.
“The goal for the landowners is to reduce the fuels buildup, get rid of some of the insects, the diseases, some of those different things," says Reed.
"For the firefighters’ perspective, these prescribed burns are very beneficial because it reduces some of the fuel buildup, from the hazardous fuels throughout the area, so down the road if we have a fire in those areas, the impacts will be minimized.”
Landowners must demonstrate they have the means to maintain control of the burn, through on-site personnel and fire suppression equipment.
A permit may then be issued to complete the prescribed burn.
Copyright 2018, KLCC.
