Controlled burning

Listen to this radio story (MP3 download) or read below.

Radio interview source: David Borneman, Prescribed Burn Consultant, Ann Arbor, MI

We've never burned our land. On purpose, anyway. I accidentally started a ditch fire one Thanksgiving day, but that's a whole other story. But some people use controlled fires as a way to get rid of unwanted vegetation. Burning also releases the nutrients bound up in the plant litter, stimulating vigorous new growth. Crop yields increase and native plants that didn't have a chance before can finally see the light of day. And because of the lush new growth, wildlife thrives as well.

David Borneman is a consultant for prescribed burning and says when and what you torch depends on your objectives.

"Most of the burning is done during the dormant season when all the vegetation is dry and dormant. It burns better, doesn't burn as smoky," Borneman says. "But if you're trying to do specific types of weed control, people will burn a little bit later in the year when some of those weeds are a more vulnerable. If you're using fire to remove thatch in preparation for planting, you might be burning in early summer."