Prescribed Burn Workshops to be Held in Western Kansas

Fire safety is a priority topic of the 14 upcoming Prescribed Burning Workshops scheduled to be held in the western one-third of Kansas this fall.

Carol Blocksome, Grassland Water Quality Extension staff at Kansas State University (KSU), Manhattan, said that the idea for the workshops came about after she attended a meeting where CRP burning in western Kansas was discussed. It was evident from the discussion that producers needed and wanted more information and education on how to conduct a safe and successful prescribed burn.

"Safe burning requires proper planning, education, and training," she said.

Producers may want to burn native and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) grassland to improve vegetative quality, control weeds, or fulfill CRP contractual obligations.

"I would encourage any producer who is thinking of burning grassland in western Kansas to attend one of these workshops," Blocksome said.

Prescribed burning workshops are being held at 14 locations in the western third of Kansas. The content of all the workshops is very similar, so producers can attend the most convenient location.

There is a $10 registration charge to attend the workshops, which covers the cost of handouts and a notebook. Lunch will be served. RSVP deadline is a week prior to the workshop date. For more information, please contact your local conservation district or KSU Extension office.

Agenda topics are:

• CRP Maintenance and Management Practices
• Burn Considerations: Why and When to Burn
• Burn Notification and Local Regulations
• Producer Panel
• Using a Burn Contractor
• Burn Terminology and Fire Behavior: Smoke Management, Eddy Currents, Fire Guards, Burning Techniques
• Planning and Conducting a Burn
• Burn Equipment

Presenters include representatives from Natural Resources Conservation Service, Farm Service Agency, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Kansas Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kansas State University, as well as local fire and emergency management staff and local producers with burn experience. Presenters vary by workshop, but all will be presenting essentially the same information.

Workshops are sponsored by local conservation districts, Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS), Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Environmental Protection Agency, Kansas Water Plan funds, and local businesses.

Workshop dates, locations, and phone numbers are as follows:

Last Modified: 10/17/2008