Controlled burning of upland can be a contentious issue between farmers and environmentalists. In a lot of circumstances burning upland vegetation may not be necessary and alternatives such as mechanical cutting and grazing should be used.
For species such as bracken and purple moor grass, burning can actually exacerbate the problem, as they are fire-tolerant.
The chosen method will prove fruitless unless it is combined with a sustainable grazing programme.
Farmers should only target small areas for burning rather than burning large tracts of land
In certain situations, burning should achieve desirable outcomes.
For example, where heather has become tall and woody (ineligible for Basic Payment Scheme) a controlled burn of the affected area should help to rejuvenate the heather leaving re-growths that are palatable to livestock and can be controlled by grazing in the future.
Farmers should only target small areas for burning rather than burning large tracts of land.
By burning small areas you can create a mosaic of vegetation at different heights which will be beneficial for wildlife too.
There is no point burning land unless you are prepared to graze it afterwards otherwise you could actually be making the situation a lot worse.
The best time to burn land is when the weather is cool and dry. It is also worth noting that the legal period for controlled burning of uncultivated land is 1 September to 28 February. Burning land outside this period is illegal.
The Department of Agriculture have developed the Prescribed Burning Code of Practice, which offers great advice to farmers who are planning to carry out this type of work.
Code of practice
Working with fire for controlled burning comes with serious responsibility and requires careful planning. A controlled fire should be what it says on the tin – a deliberate use of fire on a predetermined (controlled) area, that only burns this pre-planned area.
A wildfire on the other hand is uncontrollable and very dangerous. It is not planned, and can spread over vast areas of land threatening the safety of people, affecting the economic use of land and destroying protected wildlife habitats.
The objective of a controlled burn should be not to allow it to transform into a wildfire.
The last thing you want is for a controlled burn to turn into a wildfire, which can happen if you are not adequately prepared.
Once you have decided that controlled burning is warranted, careful planning, including consultation with all interested parties, agencies and neighbouring landowners is essential. Burning should only be carried out with a written burning plan in place.
More information and a sample plan can be found in the full Code of Practice but the main areas that you must cover before you burn are listed here.
Know your objective: what do you want the fire to achieve - forage improvements, turbary (bog) management, and fuel vegetation load-reduction.Location map: Prepare a map showing the location of the area where burning will be performed in relation to surrounding lands, woodlands, dwellings etc. Show the desired boundaries of the fires and indicate the order in which they will be burnt. Show hazards and critical areas such as dwellings. Highlight any topographic features that could affect fire behaviour and potentially introduce a hazard, for example steep slopes or wind exposed sections. Indicate control lines, firebreaks, assembly points, water points, access tracks suitable for heavy fire fighting vehicles and tracks suited only to smaller vehicles. Note names and contact details of neighbouring landowners on the map.Control lines: Describe any special work that may be required to create firebreaks and machinery or materials required. Firebreaks must be 2.5 times the planned flame length. Typically, firebreaks for most moorland/bog types need to be at least six metres (about 20 feet) wide to reliably stop a fire under controlled burning conditions.
Fire free areas: Describe and map all public roads, buildings and any other areas which fall under the definition of fire free areas. Do not burn on or in proximity to these areas and ensure these areas do not fall victim to the prescribed fire. Suitable weather: In what weather conditions will burning be carried out? Weather conditions need to be described. Suitable weather should permit vegetation to burn, but at a slow and predictable rate.Smoke management: Identify what precautions need to be taken to avoid danger to users of public roads, airports, or to avoid general public nuisance and possible health risks in accordance with the Air Pollution Act 1987.Fire control: Describe how each fire will be lit, how its spread will be controlled, and how the fire will be extinguished. Equipment: List the available equipment. Check that equipment is in working order and identify if spares are required. Ensure adequate supply of suitable protective clothing and equipment.Personnel: List the names, contact numbers and duties of all individuals involved in the burning. Ensure that all personnel are fully aware of what they are to do and how to do it.Health and Safety: Describe safety procedures for burning activities.Contingency plans: Describe procedures which must be followed in the event that a fire escapes control. For example, emergency procedures to be followed in the event of accident or injury to operatives or bystanders.Communications: List the contact numbers of all key personnel, neighbours and fire service etc. Alternative communication devices may be required if mobile phone service is not adequate.Briefing: Ensure that all personnel have copies of the map of planned fires for each day of the burning and that they understand the objectives, safety and emergency procedures.Insurance: Ensure that you have suitable and adequate insurance cover for the task at hand and discuss your intentions with your insurance provider. Employer‘s Liability insurance should be checked to see that it covers prescribed burning activity, especially if employees or sub-contractors are likely to be involved.Consultation
Neighbouring farmers and homeowners need to be contacted well in advance of burning. State agencies also need to be contacted in advance. Copies of the burning plan should be given to the local fire and rescue service, Coillte, Garda Station and National Parks and Wildlife Service, where relevant.
John Casey, a forestry development officer in Teagasc, Co Cork, says safety is critically important when planning a controlled burn. He says personnel should be furnished with suitable beaters that can be used to beat out the fire if it goes somewhere it should not.
“Beaters can be made using a suitable handle attached to a piece of rubber conveyor belting (like the one used in airports),” said John.
Ideally beaters with long handles three to four metres (about 10-13 feet) long reduce heat exposure for those using them.
Burning should not take place when wind speeds exceed 20km/h and the wind speed should be determined on site
Spare beaters must also be on hand in the event of breakage or in the event that extra personnel are required to maintain control of the fire.
Before any burning is started a suitable water source must be secured, checked and monitored to ensure sufficient supply at the time of burning.
Slurry tankers are a great way of transporting water where terrain permits, but should be cleaned before use to prevent pollution.
Fittings should be obtained to allow the attachment of a small diameter hose for rapid, aimed delivery of water onto target areas.
There should be at least one person for every five to 10 metres (approx 16 – 32 feet) of fire line, depending on the size of the area to be burned and its particular land management objectives. Burning should not take place when wind speeds exceed 20km/h and the wind speed should be determined on site.
Once all the safety precautions are in place, the fire should be started using a kerosene drip torch and the operator should be wearing suitable clothing, according to John.
Controlled burning of upland can be a contentious issue between farmers and environmentalists. In a lot of circumstances burning upland vegetation may not be necessary and alternatives such as mechanical cutting and grazing should be used.
For species such as bracken and purple moor grass, burning can actually exacerbate the problem, as they are fire-tolerant.
The chosen method will prove fruitless unless it is combined with a sustainable grazing programme.
Farmers should only target small areas for burning rather than burning large tracts of land
In certain situations, burning should achieve desirable outcomes.
For example, where heather has become tall and woody (ineligible for Basic Payment Scheme) a controlled burn of the affected area should help to rejuvenate the heather leaving re-growths that are palatable to livestock and can be controlled by grazing in the future.
Farmers should only target small areas for burning rather than burning large tracts of land.
By burning small areas you can create a mosaic of vegetation at different heights which will be beneficial for wildlife too.
There is no point burning land unless you are prepared to graze it afterwards otherwise you could actually be making the situation a lot worse.
The best time to burn land is when the weather is cool and dry. It is also worth noting that the legal period for controlled burning of uncultivated land is 1 September to 28 February. Burning land outside this period is illegal.
The Department of Agriculture have developed the Prescribed Burning Code of Practice, which offers great advice to farmers who are planning to carry out this type of work.
Code of practice
Working with fire for controlled burning comes with serious responsibility and requires careful planning. A controlled fire should be what it says on the tin – a deliberate use of fire on a predetermined (controlled) area, that only burns this pre-planned area.
A wildfire on the other hand is uncontrollable and very dangerous. It is not planned, and can spread over vast areas of land threatening the safety of people, affecting the economic use of land and destroying protected wildlife habitats.
The objective of a controlled burn should be not to allow it to transform into a wildfire.
The last thing you want is for a controlled burn to turn into a wildfire, which can happen if you are not adequately prepared.
Once you have decided that controlled burning is warranted, careful planning, including consultation with all interested parties, agencies and neighbouring landowners is essential. Burning should only be carried out with a written burning plan in place.
More information and a sample plan can be found in the full Code of Practice but the main areas that you must cover before you burn are listed here.
Know your objective: what do you want the fire to achieve - forage improvements, turbary (bog) management, and fuel vegetation load-reduction.Location map: Prepare a map showing the location of the area where burning will be performed in relation to surrounding lands, woodlands, dwellings etc. Show the desired boundaries of the fires and indicate the order in which they will be burnt. Show hazards and critical areas such as dwellings. Highlight any topographic features that could affect fire behaviour and potentially introduce a hazard, for example steep slopes or wind exposed sections. Indicate control lines, firebreaks, assembly points, water points, access tracks suitable for heavy fire fighting vehicles and tracks suited only to smaller vehicles. Note names and contact details of neighbouring landowners on the map.Control lines: Describe any special work that may be required to create firebreaks and machinery or materials required. Firebreaks must be 2.5 times the planned flame length. Typically, firebreaks for most moorland/bog types need to be at least six metres (about 20 feet) wide to reliably stop a fire under controlled burning conditions.
Fire free areas: Describe and map all public roads, buildings and any other areas which fall under the definition of fire free areas. Do not burn on or in proximity to these areas and ensure these areas do not fall victim to the prescribed fire. Suitable weather: In what weather conditions will burning be carried out? Weather conditions need to be described. Suitable weather should permit vegetation to burn, but at a slow and predictable rate.Smoke management: Identify what precautions need to be taken to avoid danger to users of public roads, airports, or to avoid general public nuisance and possible health risks in accordance with the Air Pollution Act 1987.Fire control: Describe how each fire will be lit, how its spread will be controlled, and how the fire will be extinguished. Equipment: List the available equipment. Check that equipment is in working order and identify if spares are required. Ensure adequate supply of suitable protective clothing and equipment.Personnel: List the names, contact numbers and duties of all individuals involved in the burning. Ensure that all personnel are fully aware of what they are to do and how to do it.Health and Safety: Describe safety procedures for burning activities.Contingency plans: Describe procedures which must be followed in the event that a fire escapes control. For example, emergency procedures to be followed in the event of accident or injury to operatives or bystanders.Communications: List the contact numbers of all key personnel, neighbours and fire service etc. Alternative communication devices may be required if mobile phone service is not adequate.Briefing: Ensure that all personnel have copies of the map of planned fires for each day of the burning and that they understand the objectives, safety and emergency procedures.Insurance: Ensure that you have suitable and adequate insurance cover for the task at hand and discuss your intentions with your insurance provider. Employer‘s Liability insurance should be checked to see that it covers prescribed burning activity, especially if employees or sub-contractors are likely to be involved.Consultation
Neighbouring farmers and homeowners need to be contacted well in advance of burning. State agencies also need to be contacted in advance. Copies of the burning plan should be given to the local fire and rescue service, Coillte, Garda Station and National Parks and Wildlife Service, where relevant.
John Casey, a forestry development officer in Teagasc, Co Cork, says safety is critically important when planning a controlled burn. He says personnel should be furnished with suitable beaters that can be used to beat out the fire if it goes somewhere it should not.
“Beaters can be made using a suitable handle attached to a piece of rubber conveyor belting (like the one used in airports),” said John.
Ideally beaters with long handles three to four metres (about 10-13 feet) long reduce heat exposure for those using them.
Burning should not take place when wind speeds exceed 20km/h and the wind speed should be determined on site
Spare beaters must also be on hand in the event of breakage or in the event that extra personnel are required to maintain control of the fire.
Before any burning is started a suitable water source must be secured, checked and monitored to ensure sufficient supply at the time of burning.
Slurry tankers are a great way of transporting water where terrain permits, but should be cleaned before use to prevent pollution.
Fittings should be obtained to allow the attachment of a small diameter hose for rapid, aimed delivery of water onto target areas.
There should be at least one person for every five to 10 metres (approx 16 – 32 feet) of fire line, depending on the size of the area to be burned and its particular land management objectives. Burning should not take place when wind speeds exceed 20km/h and the wind speed should be determined on site.
Once all the safety precautions are in place, the fire should be started using a kerosene drip torch and the operator should be wearing suitable clothing, according to John.
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