A Burning Desire for Native Prairies

By JL Johnson 2021

On Saturday, November 15 Linda Lehrbaum and I aided in the burning of what might have been the smallest “full treatment” prescribed burn in the KC area. The prairie restoration in our targets was roughly the size of a suburban backyard. No less, KC Wildlands volunteers received a full safety briefing and overview of safe burning practices from Hunter Moore, KCWL program manager. The local fire department had a pumper on standby, and the sheriff’s department sent a deputy to observe. The formality was welcomed because even small fires can get out of hand without proper planning and care. 

The area to be burned had built-in firebreaks including a parking lot which circled on three sides. The remaining area featured a rock formation perfectly situated to provide a natural break. 

We began with a backing fire (into the wind) and the ignition plan seemed similar to ring head. The northeast corner featured a steep incline into the wind which gave a brief but intense flare up in the direction of already spent fuel. 

With our native warm season grasses (NWSG) now dormant there are sure to be a number opportunities to lend a hand. No experience is necessary, but MDC does offer a great training course (eligible for ADV) through their partner Hunter-Ed: http://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZoU. If you’d like to get on KCWL’s email list, send Hunter a note at hunter.moore@bridgingthegap.org and tell him you’re a MMN.