Why The Forest Must Burn
“After 15 years of massive and severe blazes that have blackened landscape and choked the community with smoke for weeks at a time, severely disrupting people’s lives and the local [...]
Once the ignitions crews have worked their way across the prescribed burn unit and holding crews have secured the perimeter, the Burn Boss notifies fire dispatch that the prescribed fire is completed. But what happens after the fire? How do fire professionals make sure everything remains under control after a prescribed fire is completed?
The final piece of ensuring safe and controlled prescribed fire involves all the personnel on hand, including both the ignitions and holding crew, who continue to patrol the prescribed fire perimeter and perform “mop-up” into the afternoon and evening. Mop-up involves the use of hand tools and fire engines using hoses and water to extinguish “hot-spots” and residual flames where needed, such as along the control lines, to reduce the likelihood that the prescribed fire will escape. Fire personnel remains on the prescribed fire into the evening when cooler nighttime weather smothers the fire naturally.
