Page 19 - Waterfall City September Issue 2023

residents and landowners about
the planned burn to ensure safety
and manage concerns.
5. Establish firebreaks: Create
firebreaks using equipment or
natural features like roads, rivers or
previously burned areas to control
the fire’s spread. Firebreaks near
residential areas should always be
in place in case of a non-planned
fire, especially in winter.
6. Choose optimal conditions:
Conduct the burn during
appropriate weather conditions,
with acceptable wind speeds,
humidity levels, and moisture. If
the conditions are too windy, it’s
best to postpone the burn.
7. Gather resources: Assemble
the equipment, tools and
trained personnel to manage the
granite grassland ecosystem rely on relocate to a safe and reachable controlled burn effectively. Retrain
fire for germination and growth. Fire habitat in the same greenbelt. the team every season before work
can help to break open seed coats 3. Set clear objectives: Define the commences.
and stimulate the release of nutrients specific goals of the controlled 8. Monitor and supervise the burn:
from vegetation, which can benefit burn, such as reducing invasive Assign experienced personnel
certain plant species. Controlled plants, promoting native species, to oversee it and ensure it stays
burning can mimic the natural fire dethatching and creating habitat within the designated boundaries.
regimes these plant species have diversity for wildlife. It is important Stay within the perimeter of your
adapted to over time, allowing them to note that not all weeds can be firebreaks and water behind your
to thrive and maintain a healthy eradicated through fire and that firebreak lines.
population. fire will scorch only certain weeds. 9. Start ignition: Ignite the fire along
4. Notify residents: Inform nearby the firebreaks using handheld or
Protecting wildlife
Performing a controlled burn in a
greenbelt to protect wildlife involves
careful planning and adherence to
safety guidelines. Here is a general
overview:

1. Obtain necessary permits:
Check with local authorities and
obtain any required permits for a
controlled burn.
2. Develop a burn plan for the
following six years and repeat:
Work with experts, such as
ecologists and fire professionals,
to create a detailed burn plan.
Consider factors like weather, wind
speed, humidity, size, and site-
specific wildlife. Larger greenbelts
require sectional burning, i.e.
half of the greenbelt to be burnt
to ensure that any animals can Firebreaks are used near residential areas and to protect wild life.

Waterfall City Issue 9 2023 17