If Wisconsin is to succeed in sustaining its fire-dependent ecosystems, landowners must be the focal point of the effort. With the vast majority of Wisconsin land under private ownership and a wide array of ecosystem benefits enhanced by prescribed fire– from deer hunting and property beautification to groundwater recharge and carbon sequestration– the positive impacts of landowner involvement go far beyond the burn unit.
After our experience facilitating this Spring’s Prescribed Fire Training For Wisconsin Landowners, it’s safe to say that Wisconsinites are ready and eager to get involved with prescribed fire. In early May, our team of WPFC staff and volunteers convened with landowners from across the state for two days of intensive education on a privately-owned site in Tomah, WI. We began with classroom presentations covering the basics of wildland fire behavior, history, and ecology. The second half of the day delved into fire implementation including proper weather conditions, steps for conducting a ring fire, and burn crew chain of command. We capped off the day with equipment demonstrations using our new cache of backpack pump cans, generously funded by WPFC donors and support from the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin.
Day 2 of the training focused on live fire exercises, and the weather was nearly perfect. High temperatures and low relative humidity allowed fire to carry through the site’s grass fuels, which were already somewhat green at that point in the season. The wind interfaced with the driftless topography of the burn units and the surrounding woodlands to showcase the factors affecting fire behavior– and how it can be hard to predict at times. The trainees worked enthusiastically to combat simulated spot fires and practice break burning, then they kept up the energy for a ring fire on another unit. After an after action review to conclude the training, most folks stuck around for an extra burn on a small woodland unit.
This Spring’s cohort came with a variety of experience levels and land management goals. As the program came to a close, one thing became clear: each of them felt empowered to make decisions about prescribed fire on their property, whether it involved hiring a contractor, collaborating with neighbors, or seeking further experience with the goal of leading their own burns. With a holistic introductory course under their belts, the trainees were ready to pursue the projects that were most important to them.
As a nonprofit program, this training is not just a service we offer– it is a crucial grassroots effort that brings people together into a community of practice. Organizations like WPFC and Pheasants Forever are working to create more of these spaces by encouraging the growth of Prescribed Burn Associations, where regional groups of landowners can come together to share knowledge, resources, and experiences. It’s an exciting time to be prescribed fire advocates in Wisconsin, and this Spring’s training showed us that landowners share our excitement for these new programs.
The next landowner training is scheduled for October 4-5 in Oconomowoc, WI. WPFC members can register early and at a discount. Click here for more information.
Where should we take our landowner training next? Interested in partnering with us to host one on your property or have a group of landowners already doing small burns that need some technical expertise? Email Kristina Weld, our Training Specialist, at training@prescribedfire.org.
