Interesting article in the November 13 Daily Post about prescribed burning.
As stated in the article, there are opinions that counter using prescribed fire as a landscape management tool. This article does seem to be mostly one person’s opinion, references other opinions, has little reference to scientific studies and is based on a vastly different ecosystem. He also seems to consider horses as the preferred herbivores. For tens of thousands of years following the last ice age, as our ecosystem evolved, horses were not even present in North America.
Most of our area’s ecosystem is described as Ponderosa with Gambel oak understory. This is a frequent fire ecosystem that evolved and benefits from regular low intensity fires which thin and rejuvenate the landscape. Extensive studies by Northern Arizona University, the USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station, Colorado State Forest Service and others support this view.
Prescribed burns in the San Juan National Forest this year were performed under specific conditions and in areas where mechanical work had previously been performed in order allow fire to do its job with minimal threat to lives and property. Naturally- and accidentally-started wildfires were managed or suppressed based on a host of environmental and social factors.
Any fire can produce smoke. Prescribed burns have stringent criteria as to when they are allowed in order to limit smoke impact. The alternative is to wait until an uncontrolled wildfire occurs, which can produce a lot more smoke for a longer period of time, not to mention the threat to lives and property.
Although there are individuals with different opinions, extensive long term research and scientific studies support using prescribed fire and managed wildfire as useful tools to promote wildland health.
Bill Trimarco
Archuleta County Program Manager
Wildfire Adapted Partnership
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