Fire in a Box
There are two kinds of wildland fire, wildfire and controlled fire. Wildfires, also called forest fires or brush fires are fire gone awry. They are the devastating fires that scorch thousands of acres, burn homes and tragically take life. Controlled fire, as its name implies, are those that are intensionally set with a specific purpose and the means to confine them. Prescribed fires are a type of controlled fire that happens according to an approved plan. The burn plan specifies where the fire goes and how to keep it there; it is fire in a box.
Wildfire spreads outward from its origin in a roughly teardrop shape in the direction of the wind. As the wildfire progresses, wind moves it forward and outward. Wildland firefighters typically attack the fire from behind, starting at the upwind portion of the fire and moving along its flanks until they can pinch off the leading edge of the blaze.
The Box
By contrast, a prescribed fire begins by creating a plan with set boundaries before the burn boss ever strikes a match. Those boundaries, called fire breaks, define the size and shape of the box.
To establish a fire break, remove all fuel so that fire cannot cross. Light your prescribed fire along the inside edge of that box. (Not all boxes are squares or rectangles; take for instance a hat box. Likewise, not all prescribed burn units are square.)
Whereas a wildfire spreads outward from its origin, the prescribed fire typically burns inward from the insides of its fire breaks. Hence the expression fire in a box.
The Plan
There is another feature that distinguishes prescribed fire from wildfire. Prescribed fire proceeds according to a burn plan that specifies the fire’s timing and conditions. Prescribed burns happen when the weather and fuel conditions are within acceptable parameters. This prevents fire from escaping the box, while consuming the fuel inside. Burn plans also manage smoke and protect sensitive animals and plants inside the burn unit. By managing the conditions of the prescribed burn, burn bosses meet objectives while keeping people and property safe.
Interested in finding out more about planning and conducting a prescribed fire on your property? The Wisconsin Prescribed Fire Council can help you find training and qualified contractors to help. Ask about how you and your neighbors can form a prescribed burn association to share labor, equipment and expertise.