Science & Outdoors
UW-SP fire crew takes on a prescribed burn
The Pointer
Science & Outdoors Reporter
The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Fire Crew took advantage of a weather window two weekends ago and burned prairies at several private properties. The object of the cool burns was to assist in the restoration of the prairies and to rid them of noxious weeds.
Members of the fire crew began the day early at the fire cache to get “lined out” with personal protective equipment. Each qualified member was issued a hard hat and Nomex shirt and pants. Hand tools, line gear with fire shelters and other equipment was loaded into the back of pick-up trucks and SUVs .
The fire crew carpooled to the W-T Bar Land Company property where the owners were trying to eradicate spotted knapweed. The crew was split into two squads by Zachary Hartshorn, incident commander, type 5.
The fireline was used as a firebreak to prevent the spread of the fire into areas it was not wanted. The crew then hiked to an area that had been prepped weeks before. At that time, Erin Wolf, Sarah Holter and Tim Hart took turns trimming ladder fuels from pine and oak trees. The limbs were “swamped” to a tractor and dispersed to the area to be burned.
The UW-SP Fire Crew is usually called upon by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for fire suppression, but Matt Hundt, a squad boss, said that private citizens can submit proposals for prescribed burns.
The crew does not get wages for their service, but it does get reimbursed for the fuel for chainsaws and to light the prescribed burns.
Hartshorn briefed the fire crew about how he wanted the burn to be conducted. He informed the crew about wind conditions, relative humidity and dew point. A “wetline” of foam was put down on the east flank and the fire crew members lit the prairie with drip torches. The prairie was lit in strips so the fire would not get out of control. The firelines were patrolled to make sure no fires jumped the lines.
When the fire burned itself out, the crew had a lunch provided by the landowners, Stan Thomas and his law partner.
After lunch, the fire crew burned another, smaller prairie near a red pine plantation. After the fire, a line was formed to grid the area for hotspots. A few were found and those were put out with fire tools and bladder bags. The crew tested to see if the fire was still hot using the back of their hand. If there was heat felt, more water was added and the soil was again stirred.
Hartshorn conducted an after- action review when the fire was declared out. The crew discussed which objectives were met, which ones were not, if any, and how performance could be improved next time.
The crew returned to the fire cache where all the tools and saws were sharpened put away.
The UW-SP Fire Crew can be contacted through their Web site on the student organization page.
