GLADSTONE, MI-- The Hiawatha National Forest has been using aerial ignition techniques for prescribed burns in the past week.
The fires are done to improve wildlife habitat and reduce hazardous fire fuels.
Prescribed burns May 7 and 8 in the Raco area allowed personnel to light the fires from the air for the first time. Before beginning each burn a crew of firefighters burned a strip around the perimeter of the project to create a fuel break. A helicopter then flew over the area to dispense lit fuel spheres that look like ping-pong balls. A "plastic sphere dispenser" punctured and ignited each sphere and ejected it through the open door of the helicopter. On the ground, the burning fuel ignited the grasses and other fuels that naturally build up over time.
Firefighters traditionally light prescribed burns by walking around with drip torches, which takes time. Officials say the aerial method is useful for lighting a controlled fire within a narrow timeframe, and when large or widely dispersed land units are being treated within the same day.
