Project: Abrams Property
County: Oconto
Project Start Date: 05/05/2016
Project End Date: 05/05/2016
After 4 weeks of waiting on Mother Nature to give us the favorable wind direction, speed and humidity, we were able to finally complete the prescribed burn at the Abrams property on Thursday, May 5th.
Jon Laudermann and five of his students from Fox Valley Technical College’s Wildfire program were on hand with two of their engines and all of their firefighting gear and tools along with WWA Project Director Peter Ziegler (burn boss), WWA Executive Director Don Kirby and myself. We were able to split up the crew and burn from two sides of the ponds to take advantage of the northerly wind. 2-1/2 hours later, both crews met on the west side of the property. The smoke was heavy but the crews were able to keep the backfires from going beyond the plan boundaries. No incidents were encountered short of a stuck engine truck and variable wind conditions at the surface but according to Jon Laudermann (FVTC) this was good experience for the wildfire students to use the engines winch and cable to quickly extract the engine.
A Prescribed burn is one tool that wildlife managers can use to improve habitat. The burns improve soil conditions, clear unwanted invasive plants and insects and help to warm the soil for a quick green-up of prairie plants.
The last burn at Abrams was over 5 years ago. Unfortunately the islands could not be burned this time due to wet conditions but a fall burn is planned to finish all three of the island areas.
A BIG thank you to Jon Laudermann and his Wildfire students from FVTC and to Peter Ziegler and Don Kirby for coordinating the burn. If you are North of Green Bay and have a chance, take a look at the burn area (you can see it from the highway), we expect the green up will be quick with a little warm weather and rain—-if Mother Nature cooperates.
