Prescribed burning can prevent or limit wildfires
Prescribed burning can be described as “to reduce the level of vegetation fuel (shrubs, litter, grass, etc.) to decrease the risk of fire”. The technique is applied by specialist teams (foresters, fire fighters, etc.).
Prescribed burning is effective and has economical advantages. This “management tool” can also be used to advantage to satisfy other management objectives and is the single preferred option for fuel management at a large scale. Its major limitation is the need to comply with a restricted weather and fuel moisture window. Fortunately, this also minimizes the risk of fire escape, smoke production and negative ecological effects. However, it also demands increased public awareness, training and planning. Prescribed burning can also be used to maintain natural processes and is as such playing a vital role within the framework of "close-to-nature" forestry and areas with conservation status.
The prescribed burning task starts by studying the characteristics of the area (e.g. vegetation, fuel and terrain) as well as weather conditions predicted and observed on site. The criteria will determine how and in what direction the fire is ignited. Most of the time, fire is ignited against the wind and down the slope, to slow-down fire spread and for better control of the fire.
A low intensity prescribed burning
After upper control lines have been constructed, successive strip fire lines are created, igniting the fire as far as possible parallel to slopes. In this way strips of fire are created, which will form a fire pattern as illustrated in the picture (English translation of text in picture?) Once completed, the prescribed burning team will check the site for any smoldering signs, which will then be extinguished properly.
Although always significantly less than uncontrolled fires
As above, and thus contributes to the recognition of the Kyoto Protocol
Almost non-existent in controlled fires
Green restoration in spring
Mostly only experienced in uncontrolled fires
In medium to high intensity fires
Prescribed burning application dates back to the days when traditional fire application was used to “renew” farm land and hunting grounds. This traditional form fire application is also called “pastoral fire use”. During the last century, the traditional use of fire decreased mainly as a result of the rural recession in the Mediterranean regions.
Prescribed burning is a complex operation allocated to selected specialized teams, which are well-trained. The team works according to pre-determined fire ignition patterns within the regulations as stipulated by the law.
A Portuguese Prescribed Burning web site is under construction in the context of the Fire Paradox.
Online Multimedia Plateform : Prototype