The outlook for potential wildland fire in Kansas is above normal for parts of Kansas.
Reasons for conducting a prescribed burn
Brush control and increased stocker gains often top the list when people ask about burning their fields. Decades of data have indicated that a mid- to late-spring burn enhances stocker gains with an average of an additional 32 pounds per animal grazing burned pastures.
Stocker gains from burned pastures have almost always been higher, even in dry years. Brush control is more apt to occur once the woody plants are leafed out. The exception is eastern red cedar, which is vulnerable to prescribed burning at any time.
Other reasons for burning include conservation of the native plant community, improving grazing distribution, enhancing wildlife habitat, and decreasing the severity of wildfires. Maintenance of conservation reserve program (CRP) acres is another use of prescribed burning.
Normally, CRP acres are burned between Feb. 1 and April 15 in eastern Kansas and Feb. 1 and April 30 in the west. Summer burns after July 16 are also allowed in Kansas. Be sure to check with your local FSA office regarding burning of CRP in your county.
Weather forecasts and smoke model
Weather forecasts can be obtained from National Weather Service and by visiting www.weather.gov.
Ideal burning conditions require wind speeds between 5-15 mph, relative humidity between 40% and 70% and temperatures between 50 and 80 degrees.
The amount of cloud cover and mixing height will influence smoke dispersal.
Check the hourly forecast to see what is expected. That hourly forecast is also helpful to see when wind shifts might occur.
A smoke model located at ksfire.org predicts the direction smoke from a fire will travel based on current weather conditions, location, date, amount of fuel, and size of area to be burned. Another useful site is the Kansas Mesonet where you can see current humidity and wind direction at more than 70 locations across the state.
If you plan on prescribed burning this year in particular, here are a few things to be mindful of:
• Fires will burn more aggressively, be unpredictable, and hard to contain — especially during periods of light wind.
• If prescribed burning, we recommend cutting larger fuel breaks in advance and expect less effective timber control lines.
• Fire response and prescribed burning this spring will require more people/equipment due to conditions.
