controlled burn
 

my dad called me a little while ago and said it looked like the mountain was on fire. He just called me back and said he heard at the post office that it was a controlled burn by the PGC. I didn't think that they were able to do that, does anyone know? it would be great if they could but im thinking this just may end up being (post office talk) anyone know anything about this????
it was in the Bellwood/Tyrone area.

RE: controlled burn
 

why would they NOT be allowed to control burn???


i know a PGC land manager that does it pretty often. its needed to set back succession and maintain certain habitats.

most likely, if that was game lands, thats what it was...

RE: controlled burn
 

Yea they are allowed to do that. The problem is your not allwoed to hunt in that area when they are doing it. We were just up Turkey hunting and they had a bunch of areas posted because of them burning. It wasnt any of the areas we wanted to hunt so we didnt care.

RE: controlled burn
 

hunting is probably not much of a big deal being they try to do it in the early spring before green up. occassionally they will do fall or winter burns...its all about weather. gotta have the right wind, moisture and humidity...if its super dry, windy and no humidity thats bad news bears...

but like you said...it is turkey season...but weather and time probably held them back earlier in the year..

they probably do that for the saftey factor more than anything else...

my wildlife management class went on a gamelands tour with the land manager. they do some pretty neat stuff that goes pretty unnoticed. from eagle and osprey nests to bat condos to burns to plantings to winter cover etc...their biggest problem is money and man power...sadly enough. but even still they had some neat projects...

RE: controlled burn
 

Pa Gobbler I thought our post office was the only one ripe with gossip.Opps I mean up to the minute info.

RE: controlled burn
 

Now that i think about it that is prob the same are they were burning over the weekend. We were staying in Port Matilda.

RE: controlled burn
 

you very much could be right. and if so i think its great and i hope they do more of it. but i may be wrong but i thought the law was set up as of who lights the match is the one held responsible if something went wrong. so instead of the PGC it would be the employee that started it. so i thought that PGC did not do burns. again i have no idea what im talking about but for some reason thats what i thought.[/align]maybe R.S.B or someone will see this and help clear this up.[/align] thanks for the info mauser i hope to see them do more of it in this area.
though it might be bad news for nesting birds but, so much better in the long run.

RE: controlled burn
 

Seems like a pretty bad time to do a burn... With hens nesting this time of the year... I would think they would do something like that in say Feb or Mar... Or even the beginning of april:eek:

RE: controlled burn
 

i dont know about the laws...but i can ensure you they do them. last week i was talking to a land manager for the PGC that does them yearly.

you are right. anything not faster than the flame is toast. thats why they like to get them early or late...but in PA we usually dont have the weather for it. unfourtanate when it does happen...sure snakes and all kinds of critters dont make it....but look at the other hand..without the fire succession would continue and that habitat would not be available for them period.

when done properly its rare that one gets out of hand. ever notice how the outsides of fields on gamelands is usually mowed and kept green? thats their "fire line" when they do their part in reading the wind, humidity and moisture it takes mother nature to make things go south....like a windstorm out of nowhere lol. i do know a professional that did a controlled burn that got away...boy oh boy i wouldnt wanna be in his shows...it was something very wierd..like the wind just went crazy, quick.

they are also semi prepared with tanks of water on the truck and everything...atleast the land manager i spoke to last week said that his crew is)

if you want to learn more contact the land manager for the area...i'd bet he'd be willing to talk to you about it.

RE: controlled burn
 

Im glad their doing this also you should see some nice regeneration from this practice.;)