The perfect storm
A combination of dry weather and wind make early spring the heart of wildfire season in Missouri. Across the Show-Me State, thousands of acres of forest and grassland will burn. Most of these fires will be caused by human negligence or malicious arson.
Next Generation of Conservation
Talk About Healthy Forests
Healthy forests don’t just happen. Wildlife, wood, beauty, clean water—these benefits and more depend on choices we make. Learn what’s up in your neck of the woods. Send your comments and explore related links.
In Southwest Missouri, the threat of wildfire is even greater. Tons of fallen limbs scattered in the woods are a grim reminder of the disastrous 2007 ice storm. As the fallen timber dries, it becomes fuel for future fires. Couple this with an increasing population and extensive home construction throughout the Ozarks, and you have the recipe for the next perfect storm: widespread, severe wildfires that could cause millions of dollars of property damage, injuries and even loss of life.
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, but in 2006, more than 1,500 escaped debris fires burned morethan 17,000 acres of the Show-Me State.
What can you do
You can help reduce the threat of wildfire by using simple alternatives to burning. Or, if you must burn, do it safely.
Consider 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—don't burn—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 10:00 a.m. or after 3:00 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. Call the fire department immediately should a fire escape.
- Stay with your burn pile until it is completely extinguished. 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.
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 man-made fuels such as homes and other buildings. Because of their location, these structures are extremely vulnerable to wildfire.
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.
