DEM To Conduct Prescribed Burns At Great Swamp & Carolina Management Areas
DEM Poised to Resume Prescribed Burns in the Coming Weeks, Ahead of the Spring Fire Season for Habitat Restoration and to Reduce Risk of Unplanned Wildfires
The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is announcing that depending on weather and wind conditions, it plans on conducting low-severity prescribed burns on state lands in Richmond, South Kingstown and other areas of the state beginning in late winter to early spring ahead of DEM’s Forest Fire Program’s spring prescribed fire season. Prescribed, or planned, burning is a tool that natural resources managers use for maintaining habitat diversity and to protect communities from extreme fires by reducing hazardous natural fuels. DEM will advise the public again several days before it has identified a more reliable “burn window” in which to conduct a prescribed fire operation. The agency will further notify Rhode Islanders by timely social media posts and distributing flyers to abutting landowners and neighbors.
A burn window refers to when the environmental variables such as fuel moisture and weather conditions are balanced so that the fire will accomplish its goals, which include reducing fuels (i.e., combustible materials on forest floors and in grasslands), modifying wildlife habitat, and restoring ecological function while remaining under control. One of the biggest factors in determining a burn window is forecasting the weather. Whereas a 10-day forecast is accurate about only half the time, a five-day forecast can accurately predict the weather around 90% of the time, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Wind is an equally critical factor. DEM’s “go/no-go” decision on which of the burns to conduct will likely come down to wind speed and direction, to allow for the optimal dispersal of smoke. DEM burn managers will target large parcels at Carolina Management Area in Richmond, and Great Swamp Management Area in South Kingstown.
The Carolina Management Area forms part of the northern boundary of Charlestown and the Great Swamp Management Area is partially inside Charlestown on the eastern edge of town.
Abutting landowners are notified of fire dates, reasons, and expectations for the burn season.
You can read the full RI DEM press release at the DEM website.
The banner image is a photograph of deer on the edge of the Great Swamp Management Area in Charlestown by Cliff Vanover.