Prescribed Fire at the University of North Florida

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Prescribed Fire at theUniversity of North
Florida

• Campus Safety and Ecological Health
• 1 UNF DRIVE, Jacksonville Florida 32224
• Phone [phone]

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Florida Facts

• Lightning capital of the WORLD
• Historically fires burned for hundreds of miles
  from Louisiana to Florida to South Carolina

Fire Dependent Ecosystems

• Native Americans and Cattlemen burned the woods
  until
• the early 1900s
• Smokey Bear and Bambi changed our view of fire
  into
• strong fear
• For the last 50 to 70 years forests have
  accumulated dry
• fuel
• Only in the past 20 years have land management
• agencies realized the importance of fire

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Prescribed Burning Decreases Wildfire Danger

• By the controlled application of fire we burn off
  dry pine needles and dead plants
• Fire Breaks keep fire where we want it
• Burning techniques allow a fast, hot fire or a
  slow, cool fire

Fire Break at UNF
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Prescribed Burning Increases Forest Health

• Opens up the forest floor for new growth
• Food source for many including Deer, Turkey and
  Gopher Tortoises
• Restores the natural cycle and encourages
  reproduction of many Florida plants and animals

• Keeps diseases in
• check
• Controls pest
• species like ticks
• and chiggers

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Floridas Fire Dependent Ecosystems

• Fire Maintained
• Sandhill
• Mesic and Xeric Flatwoods
• Wetland Edge
• Scrub
• Mesic and Xeric Prairie
• Cypress Domes
• Depression Swamps

• Present at UNF
• Sandhill
• Mesic and Xeric Flatwoods
• Wetland Edge
• Depression Swamp

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Smoke Management

• UNF is in an urban environment
• Smoke Management is our largest concern
• Smoke is directed over UNF (NW of burn areas)
• Employees and students with smoke-related health
  concerns should stay indoors as much as possible
• While inconvenient, fire is essential to reduce
  the chances of a wildfire at UNF

General Smoke Direction for Prescribed Burning at
UNF South and West Winds
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Fire Weather

• The Florida Department of Agriculture and
  Consumer Services, Division of Forestry performs
  prescribed burns on campus
• A Prescribed Burn Plan is required
• The decision to burn is made the day before when
  weather conditions are perfect
• Key personnel are notified ASAP
• Signs are placed along roadsides
• The UNF community is notified through Campus and
  Student Update

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Fire Behavior

• Fire in Florida should be low to the ground and
  fast moving
• When fuels build up, the chances a fire could
  jump into the tree tops increases
• A regular burn program is the only way to keep
  our campus forests healthy and campus safe

Bad Fire ! ! !
Good Fire ! ! !
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Fuel Loads at UNF
Low
Moderate
High
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More Information

• Florida Division of Forestry
• Florida Division of Forestry3125 Conner
  BoulevardTallahassee, Florida 32399-1650
• Phone [phone]
• Email dof_support_at_doacs.state.fl.us
• Website www.fl-dof.com
• The Nature Conservancy
• 222 S. Westmonte DriveSuite 300Altamonte
  Springs, FL 32714
• Phone [phone]
• E-mail byanta_at_tnc.org
• Website http//nature.org/wherewework/northameric
  a/states/florida/
• St. Johns River Water Management District
• Division of Land Management4049 Reid Street
  P.O. Box 1429Palatka, FL 32178-1429
• Phone [phone]
• Website http//sjr.state.fl.us/programs/operation
  s/land_mgmt/presc_fire.html