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Chautauqua Bottoms Burn
Green Earth III
Long Forestry helped out the SIUC Firedawgs this past week on an 2 acre burn Green Earth in Carbondale, Illinois.  The prescribed burn was highly publicized because it was in the city limits of Carbondale and in close proximity to several neighborhoods.  The objectives of the burn were to decrease the woody stems and to maintain the open grassland found in the bottoms.  The Chautauqua Bottoms site is unique in the area and is maintained as a lowland wetland.  Dennis Carill and Dr. Charles Ruffner acted as burn bosses while Long Forestry's Chris Long acted as holder/interior photographer on the project. 

The burn was s great success, with a crowd of Green Earth personnel, members of the press, and interested spectators.  When we arrived around 12:30 the weather was perfect, with the main factor being a Northwest wind, which blew away from the surrounding neighborhoods.  However, by the time the burn was to start the wind had shifted to the Southwest, putting the project in jeopardy.  Dr. Ruffner proceeded with the pre-burn conference and we headed to the field for a test fire.  By this time we had Northwest winds again.  We took the opportunity given to us and started the fire on the southeast side of the unit. 
Chautaqua Bottoms before the burn




Chautauqua Bottoms before the burn.  You can see the invading ash trees in the grassland.
Weather check Test fire
Dr. Ruffner checks the weather before lighting the test fire. Dennis Carril lights the test fire to check the behavior of the smoke.  The smoke is traveling south, allowing the burn to proceed.
First Fire Chautaqua Bottoms Rx Burn
The first line of fire is laid down. The fire burned hot and controlled the entire project.
Chautaqua Bottoms Rx Burn Spectators and the press
Thick smoke produced by the high moisture content of the bottoms. Green Earth board members and the press watch from a distance.
In the smoke Chautaqua Bottoms Rx Burn
Fire Dawg Lewis Reed holds the east line, the hot and smoky side. Grass fires can burn hot and high.
Section 1 complete Beginning section 2
Section 1 is complete.  After no houses burnt down the press left before burning Section 2. Lighting the line on section 2.  The two sections were divided by a trail in the middle of the burn.
   
Dennis lights a flanking line on section 2 Smoke
Dennis puts in a flanking line behind the original fire line. Wet bottomlands produce a lot of smoke.
Survivors The results are great.
Some survivors, here we see aggressive fescue grass. A good example of 100% consumption.
The burn is complete
The Green Earth Chautauqua Bottoms fire is complete.  The fire burned hot and consumed most of the bushes and grasses, but the site will need future burns to gain a higher mortality rate on the saplings that are invading the site.


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