Prescribed
Fire
Prescribed
fire, also known as “controlled burning,” is an important tool used to:
Grow
young trees
Restore native plants
Control invasive species
Reduce
wildfire danger
It is especially important in Pennsylvania because of the
large amount of land in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) -- the area where our
neighborhoods meet nature.
The Pennsylvania General Assembly recognized the importance
of prescribed burning in the Pennsylvania
Prescribed Burning Practices Act (PDF). This act also provides
requirements for the regulation and implementation of prescribed burning in
Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Prescribed Fire Standards (PDF) outlines planning and implementation procedures for the use of prescribed fire. The DCNR Bureau of Forestry must receive notification, including a burn plan, for prescribed fires in Pennsylvania.
Highly-trained firefighters use special equipment to carry
out these burns. Temperature, wind, and moisture levels must remain within the
limits defined in an approved plan. The burn plan also:
Identifies the
boundaries
Explains the reasons for burning that area
States the minimum
number of firefighters and equipment needed to safely perform the burn