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Bridget Hanson
Marketing and Communications Specialist
bhanson@fontenelleforest.org
Office: 402-731-3140 | Cell: 402-650-8197
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Fontenelle Forest to hold prescribed burn at Neale Woods Nature Reserve Saturday, February 24 through Tuesday, February 27 (pending acceptable conditions)
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Bellevue, NE — 2/23/2024 — Fontenelle Forest anticipates conducting a prescribed fire operations at Neale Woods Nature Reserve beginning Saturday, February 24 through Tuesday, February 7, pending acceptable weather for a burn permit.
Staff and trained volunteers will be applying fire to approximately 350 acres of varied topography that consists of deciduous forest, oak savanna and prairie.
All trails at Neale Woods will be closed to to the public. Fontenelle Forest's trails in Bellevue will remain open. Click here to see a trail map.
Fontenelle Forest uses prescribed fire as a management tools in our oak woodland/savanna habitat restoration program, as this habitat is a fire dependent system. The low-intensity, controlled burns help to combat invasive plants, and restore the once-diverse oak woodland habitat through shrub and tree control. Globally only 0.01% of oak savannas remain.
Below is video in which Michelle Foss, Director of Resource Stewardship, explains why fire is vital to stewarding healthy ecosystems.
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Prescribed Burn Season
Typical procedures for prescribed burn notifications/operations:
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We usually start notifications two days before the burn, but because things are so weather dependent, we could change the unit/decide not to burn any time.
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We usually begin ignitions between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm, depending on the unit/conditions.
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We notify staff and the media the day of (or prior to) the burn, with information including trails closed, map, and generic info about all of our burns.
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We notify the public the day of via social media and our website.
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Specific conditions in the prescription vary for each unit, as do crew/equipment needs.
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Our fire program is for habitat restoration/health, and is a relatively common practice. We have been burning on a large scale since 2015, as well as our “prairie” areas at Neale since the early 2000’s.
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Our typical seasons are the month of November, and mid-February through mid-April.
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All burns are weather and crew dependent and may be called off at any time.
Some important information regarding our fires:
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The Fire Department is aware of, and has approved our burn, and issued a burn permit.
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Crew members are certified Type II firefighters specially trained in prescribed and wildland firefighting.
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We have been burning up at Neale Woods for almost 20 years.
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Oak woodland prescribed fires move slowly, are carried by the oak leaf litter on the ground (not the trees) and have relatively short flame lengths.
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The Fire Department supports us.
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Day of Burn:
Safety of the fire crew and the public is our number one priority. The public (including staff) are NOT allowed beyond the fire line tape or fire line signs under any circumstance. Only fire trained personnel in full PPE are allowed on the fire line.
Media:
Interviews will not be allowed immediately prior to or following a burn. Photography and videography will be allowed during tomorrow’s burn, but all rules must be strictly followed, and media must remain behind the fire line tape and signs.
After the Fire:
Depending on fire behavior, there may be a lot of black ground or just patches of black ground after the fire. There may be the smell of smoke for a few days after the burn. Some smoke may be visible. We will open the trails as soon as it is safe to do so.
Smoldering downed logs:
Some downfall may smolder for days after the burn. During mop up (after the fire) we put water or dirt on logs or brush that has the potential to ignite fuel and carry the fire. Smoldering or burning logs inside the burn unit is typical and should not cause alarm. Typically, the fire crew monitors smoldering logs for several hours and days after the burn. Please be assured, the fire crew NEVER takes prescribed fire lightly. We realize these burns can be perceived as exciting; however, these are serious fire situations during which the safety of our crew, the public and the staff is of the utmost importance.
Additional information:
If you would like to learn more about Fontenelle Forest’s Land Stewardship team and conservation practices, visit: https://fontenelleforest.org/conservation/
For any press inquiries, please contact Bridget Hanson, Marketing and Communications Specialist at Fontenelle Forest.
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About Fontenelle Forest
Fontenelle Forest’s mission is to provide a place where people can experience and enjoy the quiet wild of nature. We want to inspire current and future generations to care for the natural world. Fontenelle Forest owns and manages Fontenelle Forest Nature Center in Bellevue and Neale Woods Nature Reserve in Omaha. Combined, our two properties encompass over 24 miles of trails and 2,100 acres of forest, prairie, wetlands, and Native American historical sites along the Missouri River.
Founded in 1913, Fontenelle Forest is a private nonprofit, one of Nebraska's oldest conservation organizations and one of the largest private nature centers in the nation. Fontenelle Forest is designated as one of five National Natural Landmarks in the state of Nebraska with the U.S. Department of the Interior and is listed as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Raptor Woodland Refuge, located at the Fontenelle Forest Nature Center, provides visitors with an opportunity to observe many species of birds of prey in a unique, tree-top environment. Fontenelle Forest is a leader in raptor conservation education, conducting statewide raptor education programs.
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