The Many Benefits of Prescribed Fire For Wildlife (607)

Prescribed fire season is just around the corner! Watch to see why we use this great tool as Grant explains the huge benefits of prescribed fire for improving wildlife habitat.
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Burning during the dormant season (late winter) tends to promote native forbs. Burning during the growing season (summer) favors native grasses.
By rotating the use of prescribed fire during different times of the year (growing season/dormant season) it creates a mosaic of habitat types.
They are providing quality native browse. In a few months these areas will provide quality nesting and fawning habitat. This diversity habitat of food plots, native food and cover located in close proximity is extremely productive for wildlife year round!
The pattern is clear that most areas, especially those that were timbered (and not swamps) and grasslands were impacted by fire every three to ten years on average. The average is wide due to the average humidity, etc., at each specific area. These fires were started by lightning strikes, Native Americans, etc. It seems most of these fires were of low intensity. They may have covered 100’s of square miles, but the flame height, etc., were not like the major fires we see on TV now.

The reason the historic fires were lower in intensity was because the frequency of fire during pre-settlement days reduced the fuel loads and limited the fire’s intensity. Fires tended to burn hotter on south and west facing slopes and barely creep along on north and eastern facing slopes where the soil moisture and humidity levels were higher.