Check out this NPR piece, “Why The South Is Decades Ahead Of The West In Wildfire Prevention,” discussing how Florida and the southeast US have managed to lead the country in prescribed fire management. Much of this success can be attributed to shifts in law, liability, and the creation and continued support of a certified burn manager program (CBMP). Versions of this program have been implemented in 16 states across the US. Check out WPFC’s very own Vice Chair and Gov’t Relations Committee Chair, Stacey Marion’s, interactive web map “Prescribed Fire Legislation: What Are Other States Doing?” for more information on burn programs and fire councils in the country. The CBMPs vary by state but in most, it requires candidates to get special training on weather and landscape conditions for safe burning. With that certification, burners are protected from liability lawsuits in the rare event a burn gets out of control, unless it’s shown there was “gross negligence” on their part.
What are your thoughts on a CBMP? What would Wisconsin need to consider for the effective implementation of a CBMP?
