Cause - Project Environmental education and other facilities near Loop Road (FL)Park Status - No closures are anticipated as a result of these burns.Status as of 11/06/2009
Acreage - Total area for all 3 units is planned at 17,000. No acres have been treated as yet in this unit.
Estimated completion date is 3/1/2010.
Updates on fire
This week firefighters focused on preparing areas around structures in the other 2 burn units. The non-wildland urban interface unit of Ochoppee-Skillet/Lostmans will be ignited later in the winter.
Overview
Big Cypress National Preserve fire management staff began work on 3 prescribed fire units this week: Loop Road Wildland Urban Interface; Ochoppee-Skillet/Lostman Wildland Urban Interface; and Ochoppee-Skillet/Lostman Non-Wildland Urban Interface. Ignitions started on Wednesday, November 4, 2009. All 3 units are scheduled for completion by February, 2010. As the park grows progressively drier over the winter, staff will continue to burn acres in each unit. Combined area for all 3 units totals 17,000 acres, but acres burned each day will be updated separately.
The last 24-hour activity
Firefighters worked on the other 2 units all this week.
Vegetation affected
South Florida pinelands/saw palmetto
Air/smoke issues
The burn will not be conducted until transport winds are aligned to carry smoke away from park highways.
Benefits of the burn
Most of this fire-dependent habitat has not been burned in over 10 years. Our goal is to re-introduce fire in the pinelands to reduce understory/fuel build-up and the mid-story for Red Cockaded Woodpecker habitat improvement along with general habitat and ecosystem improvement. The park is also attempting to reduce the threat of wildfire to private property. Other ecological goals include controlling melaleuca in one area and reducing the brush component that has invaded the prairies due to lack of fire.
Values to be protected
Existing Red Cockaded Woodpecker colonies; the park education center facilities; back-country camps; and various private residences will all be protected by cutting adjacent brush and trees and by conducting hand ignition in those areas.