Prescribed Fire

Prescribed fire is controlled burn applied in a knowledgeable manner on a specific land area under selected weather conditions to accomplish predetermined, well-defined land management objectives. It is one of the most beneficial habitat improvement tools you can use on your private lands for wildlife to provide year-round food and cover. These benefits are generally best achieved with an active management plan and applying fire every 3-5 years.

View the Guidebook For Prescribed Burning in the Southern Region for more detailed information.

Prescribed Fire Burning Benefits

The goal of prescribed fire is not to reduce to ashes all that grows on the landscape– it’s a tool that’s carefully tuned to make healthy adjustments so a particular plant or animal species can thrive. Among other outcomes, prescribed fire can:

• Provide wildlife habitat in the form of food and cover;
• Limit invasive species;
• Promote wildflower and plant diversity;
• Maintain fire-dependent plant and animal communities;
• Maintain healthy ecosystems.

Prescribed fires can also:

• Reduce leaves, wood, and other debris that can fuel wildfires;
• Increase the diversity of plants on your property by allowing sunlight to reach the soil and encourage germination of native seeds;
• Prevent future wildfires;
• Control the amount of pests;
• Enhance the aesthetic and beauty of the land;
• Improve the quality of the water.

Combined with proper forest management practices, prescribed fire is transformational for wildlife habitat. Additional sunlight reaching the ground allows a diversity of native plants to grow, which in turn provides fawning and brood-rearing cover for protection as well as increased fruit and seed production at ground level. This increases insect life for young birds such as turkey and quail, as well as seasonal nut and acorn production of remaining trees by allowing space for crown development. A grassland or forest well managed by prescribed fire will increase nutritional carrying capacity for the wildlife it supports.

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Assistance Available for Implementing Prescribed Fire

1. AGFC provides landowners with incentives for implementing prescribed fire on their private land. For more information contact one of our Private Lands Biologists.
2. Prescribed Burn Associations (PBAs) are groups of landowners who pool their knowledge, equipment and resources to conduct prescribed fires together. Membership allows local PBA’s access to burn trailers, training and other resources from the Arkansas State Prescribed Burn Association. For more information visit the Arkansas State Prescribed Burn Associations page.
3. AGFC and Quail Forever biologists can assist in conducting prescribed burns, along with private contractors and consultants.
4. Qualified prescribed burners are individuals who are trained to conduct prescribed burns in Arkansas. According to the Arkansas Prescribed Burning Act (Act 695), landowners are granted liability protection when qualified burns are conducted. Click here to learn more about the qualified prescribed burner program and how to reigster.

What is a Prescribed Burn Association?

Prescribed Burn Associations (PBAs) are groups of landowners who form partnerships to pool their knowledge, equipment, and other resources to conduct prescribed fires. While this is a recently developed program in Arkansas, there are established PBAs in surrounding states. They generally have a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and board members. Once a prescribed burn association is established, they will receive training and can apply for a burn trailer and equipment provided in partnership by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Quail Forever, and United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

If you are interested in more information about Prescribed Burn Associations or starting a Prescribed Burn Association in your county, please contact Courtney Todd at: ctodd@quailforever.org.