Prescribed Fire and Training
Prescribed burning is an efficient and effective tool available to land managers to reduce their risk of loss during a wildfire. Prescribed fire also plays a vital role in maintaining the health and diversity of all landscapes across Kansas.
Across our state, thousands of landowners use prescribed fire to reduce fuel loading, control unwanted trees and brush, combat invasive weeds, increase forage quality, and stimulate biodiversity. Whether a property is timber, grassland, or somewhere in between, prescribed fire is an essential part of any comprehensive management plan.
The Kansas Prescribed Fire Notebook is a comprehensive guide to using prescribed fire in Kansas, published by Kansas State University.
The Kansas Smoke Management website, maintained by KDHE, provides resources to help practitioners limit the downwind impacts of their smoke.
The Kansas Mesonet utilizes data from Remote Automatic Weather Stations across the state to provide accurate, real-time weather conditions and fire weather forecasts.
Prescribed Fire Training
In the Flint Hills alone, Kansans burn over 2 million acres per year using prescribed fire. Kansas consistently ranks within the top two states nationally for the number of acres burned annually. The Kansas Forest Service believes the diligent, responsible use of prescribed fire is key to our continued ability to use this practice in our fire adapted ecosystems.
In order to help Kansans use prescribed fire in a diligent and responsible manner, we partner with the Kansas Prescribed Fire Council, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, the Kansas Prescribed Burn Association, and the Kansas Grazing Lands Coalition to offer several prescribed fire trainings annually across the state. These trainings are operationally oriented and vary from all-classroom to live fire, woodland to grassland, beginner to advanced.
Please check our Events page for upcoming trainings, or fill out our Event Request Form to request a training in your area.
The KSPBA exists to provide support and resources to new and existing Local Prescribed Burn Associations across the state. The KPFC is the focal point for prescribed fire practitioners across the state, providing a central hub for the exchange of ideas, training, and support. These individuals or companies are available for hire as prescribed fire contractors.
