Dacjohns--Changes

[modern_pioneer]

I think those are for breaks gina, I flew out to CA for 3 weeks to fight wildfires in July of 1990 after coming back from Brazil.

Thats a good list, I keep list, but they never end no matter how hard I work.

 

[murphysranch]

Yep, fires like that are scary to Gina, Dace, FD and the rest of us Californians. Like the Yosemite fire last summer, that was a prescribed burn, in 100 degree temps, with high winds, that got a tid bit out of control (for three weeks......)......grrr......

 

[dacjohns]

The burns we do here in Southern Illinois are for different reasons. It all depends on the landowners' goals. Most of them are for wildlife habitat. The fields we have burned are mostly grass with some woody plant invasive. Later in the spring there will be a lush growth of forbs (herbaceous plants). The crittters like forbs a lot more than grass.

The burns have the added benefit of returning some nutrients back to the soil and lessening the chance of wildfire because the fuels are reduced.

The burn that the photos are from was over 50 acres of grass. The two photos are from when we were backburning (burning into the wind) before we lit the head fire (burning with the wind).

 

[TanksHill]

Thanks for splainin!!! I actually saw some smoke from a fire today, a burn pile I am sure. This time of year I think Vista allows with a permit.

gina

 

[dacjohns]

A few miles from me the Forest Service is doing a burn to help stimulate oak and hickory. Since fire has been excluded maple, beech, and other fire sensitive trees have been crowding out the oak and hickory. Trying to get the forest back in balance. Man messed it up now man is trying to fix it.

 

[TanksHill]

I hope it's not to late to fix. We went to Yosemite in 2205. They had a fire in the Mariposa grove just before that. It was amazing to see the trees charred on the trunks yet thriving at the same time. Nature has a fine balance if we would leave it alone.

gina

 

[Dace]

Wow, I get a pit in my stomach when I see a burn like that. I am sure you know what you are doing though

The pics are cool

 

[dacjohns]

One of the "problems" with California, especially Southern California, is the large population. The chapparal, coastal sage, ponderosa pine, and others are fire dependent ecosystems, they need fire to stay healthy but the urban areas and the people prohibit fire. So the vegetation gets too thick, fuels build up, the hot dry weather (Santa Annas) happens and boom, devastating fire. If there were smaller fires more often the big catastrophic fires wouldn't happen as often.

There are also measures that can be taken to mitigate fire but people want those pretty pine trees right next to the cabin in the mountains. And, more fire suppression, more trees, trees get weak, bark beetles proliferate, trees die, more fuel, boom. Catastrophic fires.

 

[FarmerDenise]

It's as Gina said Nature has a fine balance if we would leave it alone.

We helped friends get their life back together after the Oakland hills fire. They lost everything, including the tools of his trade!! Fire scares me more than earthquakes.

My parents used to burn the fields to get rid of the old brushy stuff, to increase fertility and to prevent future fires. It got out of hand once and they were lucky that someone happened to be driving by and got help.

 

[dacjohns]

It's as Gina said Nature has a fine balance if we would leave it alone.

We helped friends get their life back together after the Oakland hills fire. They lost everything, including the tools of his trade!! Fire scares me more than earthquakes.

My parents used to burn the fields to get rid of the old brushy stuff, to increase fertility and to prevent future fires. It got out of hand once and they were lucky that someone happened to be driving by and got help.

It would be nice if we could but our presence alone has thrown it out of balance.