Washtenaw County Prescribed Burns Help Restore Natural Areas

With spring burn season underway, prescribed burn crews are again working in the field across Washtenaw County as part of ongoing restoration work.

Prescribed burns are carefully planned fires used to care for natural areas, help control invasive plants and support native plants and wildlife. While often associated with large national parks, the practice is also widely used locally on public and private land, according to David Mindell, owner of Ann Arbor-based PlantWise, LLC.

“It is a really widely practiced management tool here,” Mindell said.

The practice has been used locally for decades. The City of Ann Arbor began using prescribed burns in its natural areas in the early 1990s, and the approach has since expanded to Washtenaw County Parks, the Water Resources Commissioner’s Office, land conservancies and private landowners.

What Prescribed Burns Do

Prescribed burns serve two main purposes: they help control invasive plants and help native plants grow stronger.

Fire can knock back invasive species that take over natural landscapes. It also helps native plants that have adapted to occasional fire over time.

“Most native plant species are what are called fire adapted,” Mindell said.

These plants benefit from nutrients released by fire and can grow back quickly from deep roots. Many invasive species, by contrast, have shallower roots and are more easily damaged by fire.

The use of fire as a land management tool is not new. Indigenous communities have long used controlled burns to care for the land and reduce wildfire risk, according to the Washtenaw County Conservation District and the National Park Service. (washtenawcd.org)

From Backyards to County Parks

Prescribed burns in Washtenaw County vary widely in size.

Some burns cover just a few hundred square feet, such as a recent residential rain garden project, while others span 50 to 70 acres in county parks or land conservancy sites.

“It’s pretty variable in terms of the size and types of habitat,” Mindell said.

Burns are used in prairies, wetlands, wooded areas and green infrastructure projects such as bioswales and rain gardens.

How Burns Are Controlled

Prescribed burns are tightly managed and carefully planned before anything is lit.

Land managers first decide whether a site would benefit from a burn. Then they make sure trained crews and the right equipment are in place. Burns are carried out only under specific weather conditions to help keep them under control.

Crews prepare sites by creating barriers around the burn area. Sometimes those barriers are already there, such as roads or streams. Other times, crews clear strips of ground so the fire has nothing to burn. Teams carry water sprayers, and on larger sites they may also use vehicles with water tanks.

“We always start at the downwind most portion of a burn unit,” Mindell said, describing how crews work slowly into the wind to maintain control.

Fire departments also play a role. Permits are required, and officials make sure the right safety measures, water support and staffing are in place before a burn begins.

Smoke is another concern, especially in more developed areas. Crews try to burn on days when smoke will lift and move away instead of settling into nearby neighborhoods.

Balancing Impact on Wildlife

For many residents, one of the biggest questions is how burns affect wildlife.

Mindell described it as “a juggling act” between short-term impacts and long-term benefits.

While some animals may be affected during a burn, crews use slower-moving fire when possible so wildlife has more time to move out of the area. Over time, the improved habitat can support stronger populations.

Mindell said prescribed burns can help pollinators, birds and other wildlife by encouraging healthier plant growth. Plants in burned areas often grow more vigorously and provide more nutrients, which helps insects like caterpillars. That, in turn, helps birds that feed on them.

Training and Public Involvement

Prescribed burning requires training and should not be attempted without experience.

“Unless they’ve had training and experience,” Mindell said, it is not something individuals should try on their own.

For people interested in learning more, the City of Ann Arbor’s Natural Area Preservation program offers volunteer training sessions twice a year ahead of burn seasons. Washtenaw County Parks and the City of Ann Arbor both maintain burn crews and regularly conduct prescribed burns in the region.