Do you think more private land owners are starting to burn on their own? I see a lot more smoke on the weekend which makes me think these are people who work during the week and do the land management on the weekend. Does the Forestry Commission post the # of permits issued each year?

I think it’s becoming more common. I try to encourage small landowners to become certified and get a few burns under their belt before striking out alone, but I do have seen an increase in interest. The AFC keeps up with issues permits and acres burned annually.

I wish it was true

Dang gobbler. Thanks for correcting me. I think it’s increasing in our area because I see it more than I ever have.

I burned this past Sunday. Was going to burn about 12 acres, but the wind picked up and the fire jumped a wet area so I ended up burning about 60. Got a little hairy for a while but got it under control.

Haven’t been able to burn yet, when is too late to be considered dormant burn? I will try to burn by end of March

Closing in on the dormant season, especially south of I20.

I do more growing season burns for wildlife than dormant.

Pretty straightforward for every zone, no date. When there a a few leaves busted out on the gums, etc, it is now a growing season burn. Like Matt says, we do more growing season than dormant season burns. March and April are our biggest months.

I was always told not to burn ll after candling which is about to happen. I would definitely be interested in a growing season burn in that section what do I need to know?

Sent a headfire through parts of a very low basal area stand of oaks about two weeks ago. First burn on this stand and it had gotten thick with about 3ft tall pine saplings. It was crown jumping in the little pine seedlings and absolutely roaring.

The oaks use enough moisture that there is never really any fuel with a couple yards of the trunk. Fire didn't even burn to a majority of the oaks and the bark didn't even start to blacken on those it did reach because it was so mild around the trunks. I think I killed 1 crappy red oak in about 7 acres burned and even then it may have survived.

I remember seeing a group of hardwoods in a well managed pine plantation one time. There were 10ft+ fire marks on the loblolly from the regular burns. The large post oak and white oak mixed in the stand appeared to have never even been exposed to fire. The poplar right next to them was all but dead from fire damage.

Yeah you can definitely damage/kill your hardwoods with fire, but they can withstand a lot more than many people realize.

Only in very rare cases can you send a fire like that through hardwoods and not hurt them. I knew this fire wouldn't get close to the oaks as it was a savanna and there was no fuel near the oaks themselves.

I have burned plenty after candling both small and larger. The risk of mortality goes up each day after candling starts and increases with ambient temps. If they are less than 4' tall and I wanted no mortality I would burn before the first candles start to extend. I haven't seen candles extending yet - it is soon though.

Mine are 15-20’ tall.

The small section we just burned.
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Got another few acres burned yesterday afternoon after work. I just can't get enough dry days to get the leaves dries in a mostly hardwood area to burn. How last is too late to burn in hardwoods? I don't want to kill everything, just burn the under brush and leaves.

I’ve burned them in early May. You should be fine with spring soil moisture and humidity levels. I just wouldn’t burn on a day the humidity drops significantly.

Matt and others, about what is the going rate per acre on burns now?

Man that varies so dang much. I’ve heard of rates between $18 up to over $40 an acre. I fall above the below and below the upper. 👍

I used to do a flat rate when I started but have recently started pricing by the job. Reason being, necessary equipment and burn complexity is different for each tract. Up here in these hills of North AL it can become a challenge. Due to having to hire more labor for some burns I have just chosen to evaluate each burn individually in order to price it.

Seems like I remember cold, dormant days as being the most ideal to burn hardwoods.

Hey Matt, do y’all handle the burn permits if I hire you?
Or whoever? Don’t mean to step on any toes. I know several of y’all burn.
Thanks