Prescribed Burns

Forest fires are not necessarily wildfires. In some cases, a fire may be set deliberately by forest managers to enhance the health of an ecosystem. This is called a prescribed burn.

Regular prescribed fires can reduce the amount of ground fuels, which means that if a wildfire did occur, it would be less intense and easier to control. Fuel reduction helps prevent crown fires which burn at high intensity and are capable of causing unacceptable change.

A Prescribed Burn was conducted in North Basswood Lake (Quetico Park) on September 29, 2001 and also at Emerald Lake (Quetico Park) on October 12, 2000.

Prescribed burning is also used to:

• clear forest areas to prepare for planting
• remove undesirable plants that compete with wanted species for nutrients
• remove undergrowth and allow sunlight to reach the forest floor, encouraging the growth of selected species
• control insect pests and diseases
• create ashes that make nutrients more readily available to the ecosystem

The blackened plots left behind from a major wildfire contribute to the image of fire as a destructive force. It is true that any fire which is too intense can damage soil, destroy nutrients and take away the debris needed to protect seedlings and create shelter for wildlife and birds.

However, fire can be beneficial when it is part of an integrated land and resource management program. Planned and controlled burning can be used to prepare seed beds, to develop and enhance wildlife habitat, to manage and maintain ecosystems in wilderness areas and conduct research.

A burned tree can provide nesting sites for birds, homes for small mammals and a base from which new plants can grow. Once the tree begins to decay, it releases nutrients to the soil, enhancing the growth of the surrounding flora.

This is why modern fire policy permits some natural fires to burn, and recognizes the use of prescribed fires as a management tool. Wildfires are suppressed in developed areas or where high fuel loads create a potential for blazes that are too intense.

• Fight Fire with Fire