Forestry Home > Wildland Fire > Fire Prevention > Firewise Communities >
Fuel Reduction
Fire is a natural part of almost
all of our Florida ecosystems, so we know we're going to
have wildfires. When we experience periods of extended drought,
we can have major wildfire problems like we had in 1998.
Because of the number of Floridians who now live in the
wildland/urban interface, it doesn't take a severe fire
year to put homes at risk. Almost every time a wildfire
occurs, homes or structures of some type are threatened.
We must do our best to manage our Florida forests and wildlands
so that when wildfires do occur, they do not become disasters.
This means taking action now to reduce accumulated vegetation
(wildland fuel), before wildfires occur.
Mechanical treatment (mowing) is a fuel reduction technique
that is frequently used when homes are adjacent to wildlands
with large amounts of accumulated fuel. Mowing does not
eliminate the fuel (vegetation), but reduces the fuel volume
and puts it on the ground creating a safety zone or fire
break between the homes and the wildland area. The safety
zone must, however, be treated at 1-3 year intervals to
maintain its effectiveness.
Mechanical treatment is an effective way to reduce wildland
fuels near structures. |
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The most economical and most effective way
to reduce vegetative build-up is through prescribed burning.
Prescribed fire mimics the natural role of fire. It helps
perpetuate the plant communities and wildlife species that
keep our ecosystems healthy. Most importantly, prescribed
fire helps reduce the chance of a disastrous wildfire.
Periodic prescribed fires in forests and wildland areas
protect nearby homes by eliminating hazardous accumulations
of wildland fuel, but not without some inconvenience. Smoke
and ash travel with the wind and find their way to people's
yards and pools..and smoke can cause temporary visibility
problems on our roadways. A little smoke and ash now, however,
is much better than the tragedies that can accompany a disastrous
wildfire.
Prescribed burning is the most economical tool land managers
have for fuel reduction. |
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