ACT: Preparing for a Growing Season Burn

Way before a drip torch is lit, ACT’s Fire Team will spend weeks and even months preparing a site for its first burn of the season. Typical preparation will include mapping the location of the burn unit, installing fire lines where needed to help contain the fire to a desired area on burn day, thinning out hardwoods within the unit, and treating any invasive species to avoid further spreading.

As part of its Cornell Collaborative project, ACT’s staff identified an area of 68.5 acres at Little Orange Creek Nature Park where prescribed fire applied during the growing season (typically beginning in late spring and lasting through the summer months) would have the biggest benefit for restoring habitat for birds and other wildlife.

With the help of Natural Resource Interns and local volunteers from the North Florida Prescribed Burn Association, ACT was able to prepare the unit for future prescribed fire.

Take a look at some of the site prep and burn unit photos below:

Select photos by Kim Davidson, Alison Blakeslee, and ACT staff.