 |
| John Magnus, forestry technician, observes a prescribed burn as the wind guides it causing it to grow larger in the LE training area, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Jan. 30., 2019. Prescribed burns are used to effectively restore the native ecosystems and to reduce risk of an uncontrolled wildfire. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Ashley Gomez) |
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, NC, UNITED STATES
02.06.2019
Story by Lance Cpl. Ashley Gomez
Marine Corps Installations East
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. –The faint smell of smoke in the air may cause uneasiness for commuters and residents, but when it comes to training, protecting and maintaining the environment, the reason for the smoke is extremely important. Prescribed burns, also called controlled burns, are essential for maintaining the ecological balance of the woodland encompassing the base.
Prescribed burning is the process of planning and applying fire to a predetermined area, under specific environmental conditions, to achieve a desired outcome according to the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
“On Camp Lejeune, our main focus is to support training,” said Josh Cumbo, a forestry technician on MCB Camp Lejeune. “We do that by doing a lot of our burning around the ranges to reduce the risk of a wildfire getting out of hand and becoming unmanageable.”
Periodically conducting these burns also helps with safety. Areas around the ranges and training areas are susceptible to wildfires, but if the forest is already burnt, the wildfires won’t have any fuel on the ground to thrive off of making them less dangerous.
“A lot of folks think prescribed burns are bad for the environment, but they don’t know how they actually work,” Cumbo said. “They not only clean the forest bed up, but they release nutrients back into the soil and it helps promote (new growth).”
Prescribed burns start with a backing fire placed strategically windward of an area of trees. The trees are similar in nature and have common characteristics and are collectively referred to as a stand.
After the backing fire is set, forestry technicians will go into the forest and light the area around the perimeter so that the entire stand in which they planned to burn will be clear.
“The reason we do this is to maintain training (areas), keep people safe, maintain biodiversity and benefit plant and animal species,” said John Magnus, a forestry technician on MCB Camp Lejeune. “The more we burn, the more control we have to help keep the Marines training.”
