Fire is bad, right?  Not always. Though fires are commonly viewed as life-threatening disasters, prescribed burning can actually help landowners improve their property and its value.

Controlled burns were first used significantly about 11,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age when hunter-gatherers turned to farming. In the developing world, this is often referred to as slash and burn and is seen as one component of shifting cultivation as a part of field preparation for planting. Often called field burning, this technique is used to clear the land of any existing crop residue as well as kill weeds and weed seeds. Field burning is less expensive than most other methods such as herbicides or tillage but because it does produce smoke and other fire related pollutants, its use is not popular in agricultural areas bounded by residential housing.

Stuart Fire Department Chief Gary Fox strongly urges those that plan to do a controlled burn to please let their local sheriff’s office know the time and date the burn will take place.  Chief Fox explains that notifying the authorities well in advance will prevent the area fire departments from arriving at the burn site and put the controlled fire out should someone happen to come upon the burn and make a fire call to the authorities

For more information, call the Adair County Sheriff at 641-743-2148 or the Guthrie County Sheriff at 641-747-2214.