GAUTIER, MS (WLOX) -
Before the burn begins, equipment is checked and re-checked. A game plan is discussed, then, the moment of truth. A radio transmission says the burn is underway.
Driving to the fire scene, it looks relatively harmless. Get closer, and it's an entirely different look. Flames and smoke pour into the once sunny sky now an eery shade of gray.
Refuge ranger Doug Hunt explained why are these burns necessary.
"The main purpose of the refuge is actually to create habitat for the wildlife," Hunt said. "The cranes are the obvious big thing, but it's lots of species that need the open ground that historically was all along the coast."
The proper training is essential, according to assistant fire management director Sami Gray.
"My responsibility is to ensure that we use good firing patterns and to get the objective that we want," Gray said.
That objective is getting rid of the fuel that can spark a natural woods fire. Gray said weather plays a key role on how and when these burns take place.
"We know that today the relative humidity is up. The winds are a little bit higher than what we really wanted, but we're doing patrols and making sure that we're not putting smoke on the highway out here," Gray said. "Everybody just knows what their roles and responsibility is."
After the flames do their duty, heavy equipment moves in to finish the job and put out hot spots. Making the forest less susceptible to natural fires has its benefits, according to Hunt.
"There's two ways of looking at it. One, it's improving habitat for the wildlife, but two, it's protecting the neighborhoods because once it's been burned, it can't burn again. That's the simple part of it."
A final radio check and time to call it a day. Tuesday's prescribed burn lasted about three hours.
To read more about controlled burns, click HERE.
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