Prescribed Burning in the South: Trends, Purpose, and Barriers

Abstract

Abstract The results of a survey of fire management officials concerning historical and projected prescribed burning activity in the South is reported. Prescribed burning programs on USDA Forest Service and private and state-owned lands are described in terms of area burned by ownership and state, intended resource benefits, barriers to expanded burning, and optimum burning area needed to achieve resource management goals. More than 4.1 million ac/yr of pine-type forest were burned between 1985 and 1994, about 6.5% of the area in pine-type forest per year. South. J. Appl. For. 25(4):149–153.