Wildland Firefighter Day is HOT!
Long before us, the flora and fauna of the land mass we now call Florida experienced frequent fire. Hot, dry weather combined with lightning strikes created ecosystems over time that adapted to these fires, with plants and animals coming to expect it and modifying their life cycles to not just tolerate fire but to thrive with it. Indigenous people saw these cycles of fire and growth and harnessed the power of fire to help clear land, hunt, and cultivate the plants they used most. Today, people still use the power of fire to shape natural communities and to protect our own through what we call “prescribed fire.”
Hillsborough County Conservation and Environmental Lands Management (CELM) has been utilizing fire for decades. Prescribed fire, also known as prescribed burning, is a safe and economical technique used by land managers worldwide. This time-honored practice is used to restore and maintain fire-dependent ecosystems and to enhance forest health. Fire improves habitat quality by reducing the amount of competing vegetation, while also stimulating seed production and growth of fire dependent plants. Prescribed fire also reduces accumulated plant material on the forest floor so that, if a wildfire were to occur, the heat and intensity would be greatly reduced.
Wildland firefighters protect communities, public lands, as well as infrastructure, natural and cultural resources – but have often gone unrecognized until recently. In 2022, July 2nd was named Wildland Firefighter Day. This day celebrates the thousands of federal, state, local, Tribal, military and contract firefighters and personnel who respond to over 60,000 wildland fires annually in the United States.
Locally in Hillsborough County, we are fortunate to have
65,000 acres of conserved land under the Jan
K. Platt Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program. Prescribed
fire plays a big role in caring for and protecting that land. In 2020, a
specialized Wildland Fire Crew was formed to help enhance the effectiveness of
the existing prescribed fire program in CELM. This crew, which consists of
seven members, coordinates with internal and external teams to prepare for and
conduct burns at our Nature
Preserves and Conservation
Parks. Their job, however, consists of much more than just setting things
on fire. This Wildland Firefighter Day, let us take a closer look at their hard
work.
Conducting Prescribed Burns
Burn goals are identified in advance, and when weather conditions are just right, the Crew is busy at work organizing and executing prescribed burns. Prescribed fires are overseen by a Burn Boss, who splits the group into various crews, such as an Ignition Crew and a Holding Crew. Fire is applied to the environment using a handheld tool called a drip torch. Every prescribed burn has many check and balances set into place to keep the Crew, the public, and the environment safe.
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Frankie Stroud and Rebecca Winch use drip torches to lay down lines of fire
Maintaining and Installing Firebreaks
Firebreaks are areas of bare, mineral soil between land
management units. Because fire needs fuel to burn, fire will not cross over a
firebreak. Anyone living in Hillsborough County knows that vegetation grows
fast around here, so the Crew uses heavy equipment, such as tractors with
mowing decks, discs and rotavators, to maintain many miles of firebreaks and
keep the public safe.
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Planting Native Trees and Removing Exotics
The spread of exotic species is one of the greatest
threats to Florida’s ecosystem, and the Crew play an important role in their
suppression. They sometimes burn areas specifically to target invasive species,
which can often be treated more effectively after a burn. However, they are not
only removing plants. They host annual pine planting events, putting thousands
of baby longleaf pine trees into the ground to restore the ecosystem back to
its original state.
Members of the Crew pose with volunteers from the annual pine planting event
Maintaining Equipment
Every prescribed fire is a serious operation conducted by
highly trained individuals. One way the Crew keeps things safe is by
maintaining equipment and doing a pre-burn check on all equipment before
putting fire on the ground. This includes maintaining brush trucks, which are
specialized fire engines used in wildfire suppression. They also maintain ATVs,
UTVs, chainsaws, drip torches, and hand tools.
Frankie Stroud refills her drip torch during a prescribed
burn
Public Education
Prescribed fire is a hot topic, and the Crew is
passionate about educating the community. They regularly attend festivals to
teach people about the prescribed fire program, answer questions, and inspire
future wildland firefighters. Each year they host the Hillsborough County
Prescribed Fire Fest, giving the public an opportunity to learn exactly how
their entire operation works.
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Members of the Crew pose at the 2023-2024 Hiking Spree Kickoff
This July 2nd, help CELM celebrate the critical work that this specialized team plays in keeping our parks and preserves safe and healthy.
To learn more about prescribed fire in Hillsborough County and to sign up for alerts about prescribed burns in your area, visit HCFL.gov/RxFire, or check out some of the articles below.
