Seashore begins prescribed burn ops.
BY BRADLEY "B.J." DAVIS, JR. Gulf Breeze News bjdavis@gulfbreezenews.com

Lisa Newell/Gulf Breeze News Contained smoke could be seen for miles as crews conducted a controlled burn of 276 acres at Naval Live Oaks last week.

Favorable weather conditions allowed workers to perform a prescribed burn on 276 acres in Gulf Islands National Seashore Naval Live Oaks (NLO) last weekend. Groups from as far away at the Great Smokey Mountains assisted in the burn designed to reduce the hazard of wildfires resulting from combustible underbrush and dead trees.

"We bring in specialists and crews to both ignite and hold the fires (as well as) direct it and control it. That involves not only National Park Service personnel from the Seashore, but also the Department of Forestry, Nature Conservancy and other agencies," said Rick Clark, GINS Chief of Science and Resources Management.

Clark said that as a result of modern-day fire suppression, areas such as GINS require controlled burning every 3-5 years. Before fire suppression through fire departments and other agencies, lighting strikes were a prime cause of natural fires.

According to park officials, public safety is also an important factor in the burns.

"The purpose of the upcoming prescribed burns is to restore habitat and reduce hazardous fuel levels which will serve to better protect adjacent homes, properties and Park lands in case of a wild fire, " said GINS Superintendent Jerry Eubanks. "Fuel loading has been elevated by the hurricanes of 2004 and 2005, as well as a bug kill that occurred in the area during the fall of 2005 and 2006."

Officials say weather permitting, the burning can be completed within several days. However, if crews are faced with weather challenges, the burning could continue through early April. Burning usually begins around 10 a.m. and ends around 4 p.m.