ANN ARBOR – If you see some smoke around the Ann Arbor Skatepark in Veterans Memorial Park Thursday, don’t be alarmed.
The city’s Parks & Recreation has hired a contractor to conduct a controlled burn of native plants in the area from noon to 3 p.m. Trained personnel will be managing the burn, which will be under control at all times.
Recommended Videos
Burns are conducted to restore the health of natural ecosystems and the Spring 2021 Controlled Ecological Burn season began on Feb. 19 and ends on May 29.
The city posts signs around areas of controlled burns to direct residents away from burn areas.
Below are some FAQs from NAP’s website:
Where will we burn?
During the Spring 2021 Controlled Burn Season, NAP has permits to conduct burns in the following locations: Arbor Hills Nature Area, Argo Nature Area, Berkshire Creek Nature Area, Bird Hills Nature Area, Black Pond Woods Nature Area, Botsford Nature Area, Buhr Park, Buttonbush Nature Area, Cedar Bend Nature Area, Earhart Nature Area, Gallup Park, Huron Parkway Nature Area, Kuebler Langford Nature Area, Leslie Woods Nature Area, Marshall Nature Area, Maryfield Wildwood Park, Miller Nature Area, Scarlett Mitchell Nature Area, Stapp Nature Area, Sunset Brooks Nature Area, Swift Run Park, and the NAP office at 3875 E. Huron River Drive.
Why Burn?
Our native Ann Arbor ecosystems are fire-dependent. Until settlers began suppressing fires in the early 1700s, fire enriched the soil and removed dead thatch, allowing diverse native plant and animal communities to thrive. Continued fire suppression has disrupted the natural balance and allowed fire-intolerant, non-native plant species to out-compete the native, fire-adapted plants. By reintroducing fire in our parks, we are reinstating an essential ecosystem process.
Are Burns Safe?
For People
The burn is conducted by well-equipped, fully-trained staff and volunteers. The local fire department is notified before each burn, and cell phones and two-way radios are carried by staff conducting a burn. If anything unexpected were to occur, staff would respond immediately. Plenty of portable water tanks and a water truck are present at each burn site. Each area to be burned is also surrounded by a non-combustible strip of ground, called a “burn break,” which contains the fire.
Controlled burns produce some smoke, which contains water vapor, carbon dioxide, other chemicals, and particulate matter. In general, emissions from burns are significantly less than those produced from mowing a comparably-sized site, but steps are taken to minimize the amount of public exposure to what little smoke is produced. Although a burst of smoke does quickly return carbon to the atmosphere, research suggests that by stimulating the accelerated growth of vegetation, prescribed burns may actually increase the amount of carbon sequestered over the long-term.
For Animals
During the burn, most animals retreat to burrows or move to surrounding areas, as only a portion of the park is burned. Smaller animals need only be half an inch underground to avoid the heat of the fire. Animal habitat is generally improved as a result of fire in sites we burn – stimulating a diverse, healthy natural community. NAP also conducts annual breeding bird, salamander, and frog and toad surveys to monitor the effects of burns and other restoration activities on animal populations.
How Quickly Do Areas Recover?
Burned areas re-green very rapidly. Solar heat absorbed by the blackened surface warms the soil, and plants respond by vigorously sprouting and sending up shoots. This is one of the many ecological benefits of prescribed burning. It is amazing to visit these areas periodically after a burn and witness the fast rate of new plant growth. Below is a series of photographs taken in 2009 of the prairie in front of the Leslie Science and Nature Center on Traver Road.
How do we plan the burns?
NAP staff assess each site and develop a burn plan that provides information on the specific ecological objectives of the burn, preferred weather conditions to meet those objectives and minimize smoke, the ignition pattern, locations of burn breaks to safely contain the fire, equipment, contingency plans, and emergency phone numbers. Detailed maps are prepared showing areas targeted for burns, where burn breaks will be located, and neighborhoods in which people might see or smell smoke.
City and Township Fire Marshals review the plans before issuing the necessary permits. We wait until weather conditions are within the range specified in the burn plan before proceeding. Burns are planned each winter for the upcoming spring, and in summer for the upcoming fall. Park neighbors are notified in advance by mail that a controlled burn is planned and are given an opportunity to discuss concerns at a public burn meeting.