Green Horizons

Forest fire in Vernon County, 2012 (Photo contributed by John Tuttle, MDC)

Normally, each year about 3,000 wildfires burn 30,000 acres or more of forest and grassland across the Show-Me State. Normally, Missouri's wildfire season is in the spring and fall, unlike the Western states that have a summer fire season. Dead vegetation, combined with the low humidities and high winds typical of these seasons, makes wildfire risk greater at these times.

Like I really need to tell you, 2012 has not been a normal year. Here's some sobering statistics for you; 2,826 fires across all 114 Missouri counties totaling 32,794 acres. These numbers do not include the Mark Twain National Forest (MTNF). And this is just year to date with the "normal" fall fire season to go!

When I contacted colleagues with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) to get these statistics and ask what effect the drought was having on this year's wildfire season, their responses were unlike anything I have heard in years.

John Tuttle, MDC Forest Management Chief for the Missouri River Unit said, "Staff at Clinton, Warsaw, Camdenton, Lebanon and Bolivar have really been running hard on wildfire. In July we surpassed the annual amount of fire acreage for an entire normal year. We've had enough of this wildfire thing." My long-time friend, Joe Garvey, MDC Southeast Regional Forestry Supervisor, told me they have recorded more wildfires caused by lightning this summer than he has logged during his entire time with the Department. Lastly, Mike Hoffmann, MDC Forest Management Chief for the Ozark Unit said, "We've been experiencing nearly complete combustion with such low fuel moistures; 1,000-hour fuels averaging 11-14%. That's at or below kiln dried lumber!"

The Perfect Storm

A combination of factors has led to this year's perfect storm of intense fire conditions.

A warm, dry winter; followed by a warm, dry spring; followed by an insanely hot, dry summer yielding relative humidifies rivaling the desert Southwest means that even the tiniest spark from something as simple as a mower blade striking a piece of Ozark chert can grow into a raging grass fire that can then race into the woods.

And across southern Missouri, the threat of wildfire is even greater. Tons of fallen limbs scattered in the woods are a grim reminder of the disastrous ice storm of 2007 and the windstorm of 2009. As all that fallen timber has dried, it becomes fuel for future fires.

Couple all this with an increasing population and extensive home construction throughout the Ozarks, and you have the recipe for disaster. Perhaps not on the scale we saw in Colorado Springs this summer, but try telling that to a fellow Missourian who just lost their home.

What can you do?

Most of Missouri wildfires are caused by human negligence or malicious arson. In days gone by, people often set fires to convert woodlands to pasture for cattle. Today, improper or unsafe debris burning is the leading cause of wildfire in Missouri. Most residents who burn debris never intend for their fire to get out of control.

You can help reduce the threat of wildfire by using simple alternatives to burning.

Compost twigs and small limbs to produce great organic matter for your vegetable and flower gardens. Chip larger branches into mulch for gardens, trees and landscaped areas. Use wood chippers to eliminate tree branches and other debris. Haul debris to designated dump sites in your area. Cut fallen limbs for use or sale as firewood. Build brush piles; they make great wildlife habitat and will naturally decay in two to five years.

If you must burn, do it safely!

Check with your local fire department to see if open burning is permitted or if you need a burn permit. Prior to the burn, contact your local forestry office or rural fire department and tell them your plans; what time you plan to start burning, how long you plan to burn and what (brush piles, leaves, etc.) you will burn.

Check the weather. Avoid burning on dry, windy days. Pick an overcast day when winds are calm and humidity is high. Try to burn before 10 a.m. or after 3 p.m. This is when winds are usually calmest and humidity is highest.

Keep brush piles small (about 5 feet by 5 feet), and burn them in open fields when snow is on the ground or in the late spring after the grass has greened up. Avoid burning piles under overhanging tree limbs, utility lines or close to buildings. Cover your debris pile with a waterproof tarp. After a rain, when the surrounding vegetation is wet, remove the plastic and you'll be ready to burn. This helps reduce the chance of your fire spreading to surrounding vegetation.

Before you burn, gather rakes, wet burlap sacks and other firefighting tools. Have a source of water close by. This will help you take quick action should your fire start to get out of control. Stay with your burn pile until it is completely extinguished. Call the fire department immediately should a fire escape. Drown ashes with water and stir them with a shovel or rake to make sure there are no hot embers left smoldering. Check your fire the next day . . . just to be sure.

Attention All Fall Campers and Hunters!!!

Wildfires can start when fine, dry fuel, such as grass, comes in contact with catalytic converters. So, think twice before driving into and across a grassy field. Never park over tall, dry grass or piles of leaves that can touch the underside of a vehicle. When driving vehicles off road, regularly inspect the undercarriage to ensure that fuel and brake lines are intact and no oil leaks are apparent. Always carry an approved fire extinguisher on vehicles that are used off road.

While the remnants of Hurricane Isaac brought some relief to Missouri over the Labor Day weekend and both the MDC and MTNF have lifted their burn ban across the state, it will take only a few dry, windy days to place our forests back in the crosshairs.

Even when the fire danger is reduced, you should follow these guidelines to ensure a safe campfire. Clear a generous zone, preferably a 10-foot radius circle, around the fire pit. This will help ensure that when humidity is low and wind is high, any stray ember lands on bare ground. Store your unused firewood a good distance from the fire. Never use gasoline, kerosene or other flammable liquid to start a fire. Keep campfires small and controllable. Preferably flame height should not extend above the knees. Keep fireextinguishing materials, such as a rake, shovel and bucket of water, close by in case you need to quench your fire in a hurry. Never leave a campfire unattended! Extinguish campfires each night and before leaving camp (even if it's just for a few moments).

Practice extra caution in the field. If you smoke, put out your cigarettes completely. Burn them in your campfire or pack them out.

Protect Your Home from Wildfire Many homes, especially newer ones, are situated in what firefighters call the wildland/urban interface. This is the area where potentially dangerous natural fuels, such as forests, old fields and grasslands, are found next to manmade fuels such as homes and other buildings. Because of their location, these structures are extremely vulnerable to wildfire.

It was in Shannon County near the Thomasville fire tower. Complete combustion. This was a 378-acre wildfire near the Thomasville fire tower in Shannon County. It burned in heavy logging slash from a severely high-graded forest on private land. MDC had three dozers on the fire.

To protect your home from wildfire, reduce the fuels around your home and in your yard. To do this, create a well irrigated, open space at least 30 feet out from all sides of your house. Keep this space obstacle-free to allow fire suppression equipment room to maneuver should an emergency occur. In the areas closest to your house, keep mulch moist and ornamental shrubs pruned below 18 inches. Use non-combustible building materials (stone, concrete or brick) for patios and decks. And, stack firewood at least 30 feet away.

In your yard, plant fire-resistant species - such as oak, hickory, maple, dogwood and redbud - and remove flammable plants, such as junipers, pines and cedars. Space trees and shrubs at least twice as wide as their height and prune trees so their lowest branches are 6 to 10 feet above the ground. Keep your grass green and mowed, and move dead vegetation (branches, leaves, needles, etc.) at least 30 feet away from your home or any other building.

For more information, visit http://mdc.mo.gov/landwatercare/fire-management/wildfires/wildfire-prevention.