Where's the Fire?

Data from http://spot.nws.noaa.gov. 

This chart is current through August 16, 2011, and excludes wildfires, which often burn areas like bays and swamps.  Such fires are often beneficial, but these acres should not be counted toward the burn target on longleaf sites.  

In the past four months, since April 8, only about 80 acres have been prescribed burned on Conecuh National Forest.  These were both high-profile “special” areas (the indigo snake pens and Crawford Bog) and not representative of a routine growing season burn pattern.  For 2011, the burn season there was essentially from January 3 to April 7. There was a substantial droughty period in the late spring and early summer when there was a no-burn order.  

So far in 2011 Eglin and/or Blackwater River SF have burned on 97 days compared to Conecuh’s 23 (and Desoto’s even worse 15).  Conecuh is far behind in getting on top of hardwood and shrub encroachment over large portions of the forest, yet burning is evidently not a high priority.

Conecuh National Forest's longleaf ecosystem is degrading due to several years of insufficient fire.  Burning "targets" are insufficient to achieve even a 3-year fire return, and many areas need even more frequent burning.  There appears to be little interest on the part of managers to burn after June, even when burning conditions are good.  Most burning is still conducted in winter and very early spring.  

Crawford Bog is one of the gems of the forest, yet it is troubling that it seems to be one of the few spots receiving sufficient fire.  Here is what it looked like on August 13, four days after a much-needed and well-implemented prescribed burn, the first August burn I can recall seeing on the Conecuh:

Click to enlarge.  Great burn, CNF!