Burning of the Prairie Grasses at Red Wolf Sanctuary

Crews from the U.S. Department of the Interior execute a controlled burn of over 80 acres of prairie at the Red Wolf Sanctuary (http://www.redwolf.org) just outside of Rising Sun, Indiana. For more information about events around Rising Sun, visit http://www.enjoyrisingsun.com/?utm_source=Youtube&utm_medium=Description&...

We are here today at the Red Wolf Sanctuary located just outside of Rising Sun, Indiana, about a 45 minute drive from Cincinnati, Ohio. Today, fire crews from the Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge in Madison, Indiana, are going to initiate a controlled burning of the prairie grasses. It is necessary to burn prairies every few years to prevent woody vegetation, such as trees, from taking over prairie lands. Nutrients in the old grass fertilize the soil, allowing new grass to grow quickly. Controlled burns also help to prevent wildfires by reducing the amount of dead grasses and other flammable materials present on the prairie. Crews start the fire using a drip torch containing a mixture of diesel fuel and gasoline. For areas inaccessible to personnel and equipment, fire crews also have the ability to launch fire starters up to 300 feet into the prairie.
Although the burn was off to a slow start, a gust of wind helps the fire to spread quickly, consuming the prairie in no time at all. The collision of cool and warm air leads to the creation of a fire vortex in the prairie. More wind causes the fire to accelerate the consumption of the prairie grasses. Thankfully for the crews involved, there are adequate fire breaks in this prairie to help keep the burn under control. Within minutes, acres of prairie grass have been burned. Another vortex is formed by the collision of the warm and cool air. By the end of the day, over 80 acres will have been burned. For these crews, this is a small and easy day compared to other burns of hundreds and sometimes thousands of acres. Throughout the day, several wind and fire vortexes, some looking frighteningly like tornadoes appeared on the prairie. Most formed and dissipated within a matter of seconds.
Just three weeks ago this prairie was under water. As the burn nears completion, it is evident that wet conditions and well-designed firebreaks have helped the burn to be pulled off with textbook precision. As crews begin to clear out, the last few acres of prairie go up in flames. Within days, the nutrients released by the burn will help fresh green grasses to sprout on the prairie, maintaining a habitat for wildlife. And in just a few years, it will be time for the process to start all over again.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• prairie
• burn
• red
• wolf
• rising
• sun
• ecotourism
• wildlife
• nature
• environment
• educational
• outdoors
• tourism
• wilderness