Florida Forest Service HOME > Wildland Fire > Fire Prevention >
Fire Management Services
Contents
Introduction
Definitions
Prescribed Burning
Prevention Burning
Fire Line Plowing
INTRODUCTION
The Florida Forest Service recognizes the need for
certain Fire Management Services which in many cases
can only be performed by an experienced forestry
technician.
It is the policy of the Florida Forest Service to
encourage maximum prescribed burning consistent
with good forest management practices utilizing
the Florida Forest Service's personnel and equipment while complementing
activities of the private sector.
If a landowner does not have the necessary manpower
or other resources needed, and no private contractors
are available, then the Florida Forest Service may
provide fire management assistance.
DEFINITIONS
Prescribed Burning Controlled application of fire to existing naturally
occurring fuels under specified environmental conditions,
following appropriate precautionary measures, which
allows the fire to be confined to a predetermined
area and accomplishes the planned land management
objectives.
Agriculture/Land Clearing Burning
Application of fire to land under conditions
similar to prescribed burning, but for agriculture
or land clearing. Agricultural Burning is further
defined as the burning of vegetative material originating
on site (grew there) in conjunction with
the cultivation of land, including: gardening or
horticulture, fruit growing, raising of vegetables,
trees, shrubs, plants, pastures or rangeland, and
similar products.
Land clearing operation is defined
as the uprooting or clearing of vegetation in connection
with construction for buildings, and rights-of-way,
residential, or industrial development, mineral
operations, or the clearing of vegetation to enhance
property value and aesthetics. The removal and
destruction of shade trees due to storm damage,
is included as a land clearing operation. However,
it does not include the maintenance burning of
yard trash resulting from fallen limbs, branches,
or leaves on a mowed and maintained yard, or site
preparation; i.e., fires for the growing, raising,
or harvesting of crops, timber, or wildlife.
Prevention Burning
Specific prescribed or controlled burning authorized
under Section 590.025, or 590.091 or by a landowner
at the request of the Florida Forest Service,
to reduce an identified hazard.
Fire line Plowing
Construction of fire breaks with a Fire line
plow in order to confine a burn, or prevent wildfire
from entering the property.
Burning Assistance
The Florida Forest Service may provide burning
assistance up to 250 acres per landowner in any
fiscal year.
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PRESCRIBED BURNING
Assistance may be given to a landowner as prescribed
in a burning plan for purposes related to Silviculture,
wildlife habitat management, grazing, fire hazard
reduction, etc. This assistance may be as follows:
- The Florida Forest Service may provide personnel
and equipment at designated hourly rates to assist
a landowner while the landowner or their agent
burns their land. The landowner or their agent
assumes full responsibility for control of their
fire and is present during the burn. The Florida Forest Service reserves the right to leave the scene,
after securing the fire, to respond to wildfires
or other emergencies.
- The Florida Forest Service
may contract with a landowner to carry out burning as prescribed in
a land management plan. Designated rates will apply to all contact
burning. All prescriptions and burning must be
done by a Florida certified burner.
PREVENTION BURNING
Florida Statutes allow the Florida Forest Service to
conduct prescribed burning on private property at
the request of the governing body of a county, if
the landowner does not object. The purpose of this
type of burning is to reduce fuel loading to help
prevent wildfire.
FIRE LANE PLOWING
Pre-suppression fire lines will be plowed only at
the request of, and in the location designated by
the landowner or their agent. Normally Fire line
plowing will be limited to eight hours per landowner,
per county, per year. All plowing time will be charged
at the designated rate. Certain minimum charges may
apply to fire management services.
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