Research has shown that there is no substitute for fire in restoring ecosystems. Fire is an ecosystem driver that facilitates ecosystem processes such as nutrient and water cycling. However, fire seldom affects ecosystems alone. It works in concert with herbivory and climate, thus constituting an integral part of ecosystem restoration. Fire is mandatory for the health of prairies, shrublands and forests throughout Oklahoma and most of the world. Fire is a necessary tool for managing wildlife, livestock and timber. Research has shown that although there are many land management tools, there is no substitute for fire.
Prescribed burning should be conducted under a set of fire prescriptions. This is a set of conditions under which the fire will be conducted to meet land management objectives. A fire prescription is based on scientific research and experience. Specific recommendations must be customized for the particular piece of land to be burned. There are many possible fire prescriptions and vegetation responses to a prescribed fire. Factors affecting vegetation response include weather, stage of plant succession, fuel load, topography, soil type and previous management. It is important to develop management goals and objectives, then develop a fire prescription based on the tract of land. Fire prescription variables, including temperature, relative humidity, wind, and season of burn, have been used successfully in Oklahoma and surrounding states.
Prescribed burns can be classified as either restoration or maintenance burns, with each possibly requiring different personnel, tactics, training, equipment and firebreaks. A restoration burn is typically conducted to restore or reclaim an area after a long absence of fire. The execution of certain restoration burns requires more preparation and inherently entails greater risk. Maintenance burns are conducted after a tract of land has reached its desired management goals, using fire to maintain it. These burns are normally easier to conduct. A consultation with a fire management specialist to develop a customized fire prescription to meet your objectives is recommended.
References:
https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/using-prescribed-fire-in-oklahoma
