Friday, May 08, 2009

Jim Shaeffer, owner and operator of Native Prairie Restorations in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has more than a decade of experience establishing prairie grasses and conducting regular prescribed burns using conventional methods. 'I recommend prescribed burns be done every 4-5 years, on a rotating schedule, in native grass establishments,' says Shaeffer.

Shaeffer determined that using conventional methods to conduct and control these burns had several potential drawbacks. First, when the area to be burned does not have adequate fireguards, water used to control the fire must be carried on a pickup truck. Because prescribed burns generally take place in the early spring, when the ground is soft, the weight of a pickup truck with a water tank can cause damage to established areas. Second, if a fire were to get out of hand, burn managers would need to move quickly and have easy access to a safe area of land. Third, conducting prescribed burns requires an assortment of tools and other gear that must be transported to various areas of the site.

These were all problems Shaffer has dealt with in the past, but not very effectively, until he discovered the Centaur V2001G. The Centaur is a state-of-the-art amphibious off-road utility vehicle with a load capacity of 1500 pounds on ground-based applications. After using the Centaur to conduct prescribed burns for the past two seasons, Shaeffer is convinced it offers the best solution to managing this step in the ongoing process of establishing and maintaining native grasses.

The Process

A. Site Study
The first step in using prescribed fire is to study fire behavior, fire and smoke management, burning laws, plant responses, animal needs, and animal responses. Qualified burn managers may be found among ranchers, farmers, foresters, and wildlife workers.

B. Burn Plan
'The burn plan contains all the information the people running the plan will
 need to know to make a successful burn,' explains Shaeffer. 'It requires at least 3 people on every burn and addresses safety issues, such as escape routes for firefighting personnel,' he adds.

The burn manager will arrange for and communicate with firefighting personnel, obtain burn permits, check to determine that equipment is in working order, develop an adequate fuel load (fairly dry leaves and plant stems), and prepare fireguards.

Obtaining weather information one day prior to the burn date is imperative. Fuel will not burn when wet or will not burn adequately when the humidity is high. Conversely, fire control is compromised when the humidity is below 25%.

C. The Burn
A typical burn will be scheduled for later in the day, such as 5 p.m. because humidity rises, which will help keep the fire under control. The burn manager should expect to burn 2 acres per hour and plan accordingly to have sufficient daylight.

Start the fire on the downwind side of the burn and burn INTO the wind. 'This is a slower method,' explains Shaeffer, 'but when it is over you will be left with bare dirt.' The burn may be incomplete if the wind is behind it, as it will move too quickly and not all of the fuel will be used.

Benefits of Using the Centaur V2001G

The Centaur's multi-purpose track system provides excellent performance going over rocks and through mud. An amphibious design makes it the perfect vehicle for crossing water that either serves as a fireguard or lies between the area to be burned and the area outside the perimeter.

According to Shaeffer, an unloaded Centaur equipped with 15' multi-purpose tracks exerts only 1.5 psi on the early spring ground, which makes for substantially lower impact than using a pick-up truck to patrol the perimeter of a prescribed burn.

A low center of gravity and 8' of ground clearance ensure easy operation of the Centaur, even on banks. Because native prairie grasses are often used where slopes cause severe soil erosion problems, these areas can be negotiated by the Centaur during prescribed burns.

Finally, its 1500-pound load capacity is more than ample to carry a 125-gallon firefighting water tank for controlling the perimeter of the burn. In addition, all necessary equipment, including hose reels, drip torches, rakes, shovels, chain saws, flappers, leaf blowers, and backpacks for each person on foot can be carried on the Centaur's platform.

This single piece of equipment has the ability to get anywhere quickly and easily with low environmental impact and low fuel consumption. The 11.1-gallon tank uses much less fuel than a typical pick-up truck under the same conditions.

Because the Centaur uses conventional automotive controls and gauges, there is little need for driver training. Likewise, the Centaur's zero turning radius contributes to ease of operation, even in challenging conditions. The unique engineering and design features contribute to this owner's confidence in completing any job safely, efficiently, and easily.