Prescribed Burn Association interest meeting January 26
Wed, 01/11/2023 - 2:01pm
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Area landowners who would like to manage their property with controlled burns, but are concerned about having enough experience, equipment, or assistance to do it safely, are invited to attend a Jan. 26 meeting at the West Plains Civic Center. Attendees will learn how a Prescribed Burn Association (PBA) can help manage their land.
The purpose of the Jan. 26 meeting is to assess interest in forming a local PBA. Attendees will hear about the benefits of prescribed fire, how PBAs function, next steps to form a PBA, and how to participate.
Currently, six PBAs are operating in Missouri, and at least two more are in the formative stages. These are independent local groups that work in cooperation with the statewide Missouri Prescribed Fire Council.
“It’s exciting that new PBAs are forming” said Council Chair Mark Howell, Doniphan, who plans to attend the meeting. “Our prairies, woodlands, and forests have been heavily influenced by fire since prehistoric times. PBAs are incredibly useful to help landowners help each other to use safe, effective fire to restore and improve habitat for deer and turkeys.” In some places where prescribed fire has successfully reintroduced forbs and grasses, landowners are now seeing quail, he said.
The PBA interest meeting, planned for 6:30 to 8 p.m. Jan. 26 meeting at the Civic Center, 100 St. Louis St., is free and open to all, but participants are asked to register in advance at: bit.ly/westplainspba.
Anyone who can’t attend but would like to receive email updates about forming a local PBA is also encouraged to register.
Educational handouts about fire science and prescribed fire will be available free, courtesy of the Oak Woodlands and Forests Fire Consortium, a not-for-profit devoted to providing fire science information.
For additional event information, contact Wes Buchheit, wbuchheit@quailforever.org or Denise Vaughn, dhvaughn@socket.net. For more information about prescribed fire, visit moprescribedfire.org and oakfirescience.com.