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Prescribed Fire Videos

Behind the Scenes of a Prescribed Fire

Fire is a natural part of the environment. Prescribed fires have long been used to maintain healthy ecosystems, reduce fuel loads, and encourage growth of beneficial and native species. Annually, thousands are planned and done across the country with little or no media attention.

This series of videos takes you inside a small 300-acre prescribed fire called the "Schoolhouse Unit". This burn was done in Redwood National Park on September 30th, 2016.

It was an interagency operation with Six Rivers National Forest, CalFire and Redwood National Park.

 

Read more about our prescribed fire program.

Engage with our resource and science community at Tumblr.

 

• 

  The Briefing

  After weeks of planning and preparation, the weather forecast looks good. This part of the morning briefing tells the crews what the objectives are of the prescribed fire.

  Duration:

  2 minutes, 25 seconds

 

• 

  Igniting a Prescribed Fire

  The first minutes of a prescribed fire in the Bald Hills of Redwood National Park.  This occurs after a small test burn has been competed, and only when the temperature, humidity, wind direction and fuel moisture are within strict parameters.

  Duration:

  3 minutes, 40 seconds

 

• 

  Burning the Perimeter

  Using a "drip-torch", fire crews begin to burn the edges of the planned boundary. Here they are using a dirt road as an anchor-point and safety zone.

  Duration:

  3 minutes, 33 seconds

 

• 

  Time-lapse of the Ignitions Team

  Watch how the fire-crews burn off down-slope strips of grass. Piece by piece, they burn the corner.
  
  In real-time, this took over 7-minutes.

  Duration:

  54 seconds

 

• 

  Close Up: The Ignitor's View

  Experience the sights and sounds from the perspective of one of the Six Rivers National Forest hand-crews.

  Duration:

  3 minutes, 52 seconds

 

• 

  Burning the Interior

  Once the exterior is safe and burnt, fire crews then bring fire to the interior. Depending on conditions they may "drag a line" of fire, or "put down dots" of fire.

  Duration:

  2 minutes, 13 seconds

 

• 

  Creeping Flames

  A fire burns slower and with less intensity when it moves down a slope. This fact is used by fire crews to their advantage.

  Duration:

  1 minute, 25 seconds

 

• 

  In The Black

  The area where the fire has been is called "the black". On this fire, the grasses are light fuels and they burned quickly. A simple investigation shows that their roots are still green. Many nutrients have been returned to the soil, and the wildflowers next spring will be plentiful.

  Duration:

  1 minute, 14 seconds

 

• 

  Time-lapse of the End of the Fire

  See how the last corner gets burnt by fire coming from two directions with two different crews. As expected, smoke is being drawn up into the fire's interior - and not over the road.
  
  In real-time this took about 8-minutes.

  Duration:

  1 minute, 10 seconds

 

• 

  Time-lapse of the Entire Fire

  In less than two minutes you can see almost five hours of the prescribed burn. Schoolhouse Fire Tower sits on the top of the distant hill.

  Duration:

  1 minute, 31 seconds