Prescribed Fire Benefits

Fire is a normal, natural, and essential process in the Texas landscape, and has been used for centuries, even before European settlement. Prescribed fire is important for sustainable ecosystems today as it is one of the most effective, cost-efficient land management tools.  

Conducting a prescribed burn can produce a host of ecosystem and fire mitigation benefits.  

Prescribed fire:  

Many endangered species in Texas are endangered due to their habitats not being fire-adapted. Prescribed fire helps create fire-adaptation while ensuring optimal travel and forage due to healthy, new growth.  

Unmanaged forests can create an extremely hazardous, flammable environment when fires occur. Treating forests with prescribed fire removes the buildup of twigs, grasses, pine straw, and litter. This can lower the threat of wildfires and create a safer working environment for firefighters if a wildfire occurs. By reducing this risk, neighboring communities are better protected from the threat of wildfires. 

While prescribed fire can produce smoke, its volume is significantly limited, and our prescribed burners have close control over its direction and intensity. The resulting smoke of a prescribed fire is smaller in volume and impact than wildfires. In times of wildfire, lands that have not been routinely managed with prescribed fire will emit a high volume of smoke that is composed of more dangerous, dense particles.