Yearbook^ of Agriculture 1949 



wind direction and velocity, tempera- 

 ture, number of days following rain, 

 and the approximate dates desirable 

 for burning. 



Areas of from 300 to 500 acres in 

 size are the most economical to handle. 



The area is prepared for a day with 

 the proper characteristics by plowing 

 parallel lines, their ends tied into bar- 

 riers or a surrounding plowed line. 



Distance between interior parallel 

 lines may be from 10 to 20 chains. 

 Spacing distance is determined in each 

 case by the nature and value of the 

 stand, and the speed at which fire 

 may be expected to back in that par- 

 ticular fuel. 



Where fire backs at a rate of l 1 /^ 

 chains an hour and an 8-hour dura- 

 tion of burning is planned, the lines 

 should be placed at intervals of about 

 12 chains. 



When conditions for burning are 

 favorable, instruct each man as to the 

 lines he is to fire and their sequence, 

 and, if possible, arm each with a drip 

 torch. 



As soon as test sets indicate that 

 conditions are right, start a number 

 of fire lines simultaneously. 



Three men can fire all the lines in 

 a 500-acre block within 50 minutes. 

 Two safety men are needed to guard 

 the downwind line until the fire has 

 eaten into the point of safety. 



The foreman and other men, upon 



completion of firing, should prowl 

 their assigned interior and any ex- 

 terior plowed lines for break-overs. 



Five men are desirable to start a 

 500-acre burn. Two men can guard 

 it after it is under way. 



Good burning days are relatively 

 scarce, so it is our practice to utilize 

 them to the fullest. From the inven- 

 tory of blocks planned and prepared 

 for treatment under existing condi- 

 tions, additional areas are selected 

 and the crew fires new blocks until 

 safety assignments absorb them. 



A fire-plow unit is kept either at the 

 scene or where it can be reached by 

 radio in case of trouble. 



When conditions are right and large 

 blocks are available, a five-man crew 

 can successfully burn up to 1,500 acres 

 a day in difficult areas. 



REGARDING COSTS, we view as an 

 error any attempt to reduce the cost 

 of prescribed burning at the expense 

 of quality. Rather, the objective must 

 be a burning operation resulting in 

 predetermined acceptable damage. 

 Costs are then reducible to the extent 

 that organization skill, training, and 

 efficient supervision can eliminate ex- 

 cess manpower and lost motion. 



Averages are misleading. Seedbed 

 burning is done for as low as 8 cents an 

 acre. Fuel reduction in valuable young 

 stands often justifies as much as 25 



