SHARON TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A prescribed burn is planned for Monday in Washtenaw County.
Michigan DNR announced that 283 acres in Sharon Township will host a prescribed burn to help enhance pheasant nesting grasslands.
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Along with the Washtenaw County burn, there are burns scheduled on Monday for Allegan, Ogemaw and St. Joesph Counties.
How a prescribed burn works in Michigan
Prescribed burns usually take place in the spring or fall. According to the DNR, trained fire staff uses specialized equipment to control the fire. Before the burn, land managers go to the acres and evaluate the landscape before proposing a forest treatment. Depending on the landscape, these managers create plans to indicate how fast or slow the fires should be and what should fuel the burns.
There are two people who lead these prescribed burns. There is a burn boss who is in charge of all equipment and personnel, and there is a firing boss who is in charge of the team that lights the planned fires. These two key people work with local firefighters and other fire professionals and go over all procedures before conducting the burn.
There are different ways to light up these burns, which are perimeter lighting, strip lighting, spot lighting and backing fire.
After a prescribed burn has been completed, officials stay on the site to ensure all existing hot spots are put out. Those on-site report details such as weather conditions, fire behavior, ignition patterns and a review with everyone involved.
Watch the video below of a prescribed burn on the west side of Michigan 🔥:
To learn more about prescribed burns in Michigan, click here.