“People have lost our relationship to fire. We didn't really trigger them to manage these ecosystems,” said Kristin Leger, the project manager for the Noco Trex event.
But putting the fire on the landscape is not without risk. Prescribed fires can escape control, destroy and kill houses.
On April 7th at 9:30 a.m., Liz Kehm, a fire equipment monitor, took her first weather reading of the day. The temperature hovered at 50 degrees. Two to four miles an hour wins from the southwest.
When planning a prescribed fire, a Burn boss studies forecasts, determines suitable conditions and create emergency plans when the fire escapes. During the day, firefighters take on local weather values to track the wind direction, speed, temperature and relative humidity.
“We don't just go out and say, oh, look, there is dry grass, let's start a fire. There is a lot of work that happens behind the scenes on this point,” said Scopel.
The organizers had hoped to complete the burn last year, but due to red-flags they canceled conditions-a dangerous combination of strong wind, low humidity and strong winds.
When burning grass, a wind is helpful to carry the fire, said Monique “Mo” Hein, a Burn Boss trainer. The light, southwestern breeze helped to carry smoke from houses and a street