Prescribed Burns 2023
Fall burns - The burn season began with some key goals. One is to burn over fields that has been overseeded last fall and spring. This process has been based on the success in small areas in which only burning led to growth of prairie and recession of non-natives. In this case, larger fields were hand seeded after burning mimicking a natural process. The question remains if the seeding and burning will be enough to overcome established non-native grasses.
Another critical area is the river field that has been infested with box elders. The box elders grow extremely rapidly and dense and become very difficult to remove. A small gap in burning and they can take out the prairie plants and so burning is not possible. If the burning is consistent the hope is it will return to full strength prairie. The other challenge of the river field is it is in a flood plain and flooding brings in invasives but also damages the prairie. This field was burned with good success.
The upper prairie has a few fairly critical areas needing burned and then some that were in decent shape but could be burned. All of these were burned this fall.
Some of the burns fields and plots were seeded two and three years ago and are still thin and burned inconsistently. However, the burn should still (hopefully) allow for much stronger prairie growth and thus solid burns next year or the year after.
The time consuming effort of working along the prairie edges and into the forest has been started.. similar into fence lines and other smaller areas for burning. The larger areas are resolved first in part to remove fuel but just the bang for the buck in time and effort. The burns are executed typically by two people. One person and three person burns were done with one 4.5 person burn. Burn participants, Logan Allen, Seth Andrews, Devin Walker (w/Kate) and Kevin Lair.
Another critical area is the river field that has been infested with box elders. The box elders grow extremely rapidly and dense and become very difficult to remove. A small gap in burning and they can take out the prairie plants and so burning is not possible. If the burning is consistent the hope is it will return to full strength prairie. The other challenge of the river field is it is in a flood plain and flooding brings in invasives but also damages the prairie. This field was burned with good success.
The upper prairie has a few fairly critical areas needing burned and then some that were in decent shape but could be burned. All of these were burned this fall.
Some of the burns fields and plots were seeded two and three years ago and are still thin and burned inconsistently. However, the burn should still (hopefully) allow for much stronger prairie growth and thus solid burns next year or the year after.
The time consuming effort of working along the prairie edges and into the forest has been started.. similar into fence lines and other smaller areas for burning. The larger areas are resolved first in part to remove fuel but just the bang for the buck in time and effort. The burns are executed typically by two people. One person and three person burns were done with one 4.5 person burn. Burn participants, Logan Allen, Seth Andrews, Devin Walker (w/Kate) and Kevin Lair.
GSP data drawing. Tracking via phono into .gpx file (K. Lair) for November and December burns. Most of the tracking is by foot but some by ATV/UTV (the areas between burn plots mostly).
There were a few re-burns in to clean up some more of the fuel that missed due to variable conditions. At point there was a conflict with a neighbor's wedding venue that was hosting and event and noticing smoke. We were able to slow down the burn and a little wind shift aided the process so we could continue.
Burn on the 2nd year planting. Overall the prairie is still a bit thin on this field and so the fire lines were inconsistent in their success. Hopefully, next year with it will be far more robust and burn well. 12/20
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Juniper post burn (left) with tuffs of unburned grass and K. Lair (right, photo credit Seth Andrews) lighting a fire line along a rough patch (smooth brome incursion) by the powerlines. 12/20
Burn weather 12/20/23 (burn time in white letters)
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Burn field in action (left) the fire line at the start (right) 12/20
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Up close on a whirlwind (left) and (right) on the far right of the image a whirlwind funnel at the edge of the burn. 12/20
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12/20/23 Burn (ing bush) (left) and Burn (ghost) (right)
River valley with smoke post burn 12/13. Large Cottonwoods and Maples line the bank. Early settlers used to set up sugar shacks here.
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Final moments after a long day burning 12/13 (left) Removing Junipers (right)
Burn and post burn 12/13/23
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Burning along the Middle River bank and the River Field with Seth Andrews 12/13/23
Burn 12/13/23 upper prairie
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Weather Underground data for 12/13/23 (white text is during burn). The data is from the Des Moines Station
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Burn 12/02/23
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Burn 12/02/23
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Burn 12/08/23
Burn weather data 12/08/23 - Weather Underground (DSM station)
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Burn 12/02/23
Burn weather data 12/03/23 - Weather Underground (DSM station)
Burn weather data 12/02/23 - Weather Underground (DSM station)
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Burn weather data 11/19/23 - Weather Underground (DSM station)
Burn weather data 11/18/23 - Weather Underground (DSM station)
Seth Andrews and Logan Allen upper prairie (November 12th 2023)
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Burn weather data 11/12/23 - Weather Underground (DSM station)
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Upper prairie (November 12th 2023)
Lighting a fire line on the upper prairie (November 12th 2023) Image credit Devin Walker
Upper prairie, November 12th - Image credit Devin Walker
Burn on the River Field (Middle River lit up view from Holliwell Bridge) 11/07/23
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River Field, November 7th - Drone pilot Logan Allen
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River Field, November 7th - Drone pilot Logan Allen (left) and ground view (right)
Kevin Lair lighting fire line, River Field, November 7th - Drone pilot Logan Allen
Burn weather data 11/12/23 - Weather Underground (DSM station)
Spring Burns
The spring weather was dry and windy. A burn ban was in force for a period of time. We worked in a burn during still difficult conditions. The wind was low but somewhat inconsistent in direction which is compounded but varied shape of the field. The humidity dropped to very low conditions in the afternoon into the evening.
The focus of the burn was on the upper prairie. Plans for fall burn in 2022 were scuttled due to impassable creek crossing. The field and surrounding forested areas were overdue for burn. Weather data for 05/03/23.
The spring weather was dry and windy. A burn ban was in force for a period of time. We worked in a burn during still difficult conditions. The wind was low but somewhat inconsistent in direction which is compounded but varied shape of the field. The humidity dropped to very low conditions in the afternoon into the evening.
The focus of the burn was on the upper prairie. Plans for fall burn in 2022 were scuttled due to impassable creek crossing. The field and surrounding forested areas were overdue for burn. Weather data for 05/03/23.
source: Weather Underground
"Drawing" of the burn (GPS tracking)
The burn drawing (K. Lair) is collected from GPS tracking application and translated for precise history of the movements throughout the burn on 05/03/23.
Seth Andrews (WAS Project Artist) on the burn
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Solid back burn (left) shifting wind (right)
Shifting wind leading to pockets of front burning with rapid progress through field.
Borrowing Thunder Ridge's "buddy" for additional monitoring. The ATV and UTVs are critical tools for getting around during burn days.
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Smoke settling in the evening.
