Fire Rescue News - FOREST FIRE SERVICE SETS CONTROLLED BURNS
MANOR--More than a hundred acres were intentionally set ablaze in Atlantic County today. Officials say setting controlled fires now actually helps prevent bigger, more dangerous wildfires in the future.
What starts as a single line of fire quickly turns into....Continue Reading
something much bigger along Tuckahoe Road in Estell Manor, but the fire is actually doing an important job. "Hopefully this will save us at some point, if something does happen," said Ken Badger, Jr, the section fire Warden for the state Forest Fire Service.
Today members of the state Forest Fire Service intentionally set nearly 170 acres there ablaze as part of a controlled burn, meant to clear things that can easily ignite, like dead leaves, pine needles and low-lying brush. "Trying to reduce our fuel load, so that if a fire starts in an area, hopefully it'll give us more time to get there to stop it," explained Badger, "or if a fire burns into an area, when it hits the area we burned already, it'll slow it down for us."
While it may be a controlled burn, as fire races through the woods, it's something forest fire members closely monitor. "Today's working in our favor," said Badger, "the wind's keeping the smoke off the road for us, for the most part, and it's supposed to rain tonight, so that's a big plus. Anything that's smoldering , the rain should put out for us."
Prescribed burns like this are done around this time every year, about 1,100 acres in our area were burned this year alone. Officials say fighting fire with fire, really does work. "It's beneficial to us to get these burns done to make the public safer," said Badger.
Tuesday marks the start of the spring fire season, and officials say today's exercise demonstrates just how easily a fire can start and spread, and remind everyone that there are precautions you can take to keep your home safe. "Them cleaning out around their homes - the pine needles, the leaves - then if there's a fire around their area, there's nothing there to burn," explained Badger about the importance of cleaning out gutters, and debris around homes.
While controlled burns work well for the Forest Fire Service, they say it's something you should never do on your own. Besides being illegal, it's also very dangerous.
This story was taken from the news source stated above. It's content and comments are not necessarily the opinion of The Elwood Vol. Fire Company or it's members.
