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Florida's Burn History

History

In Florida, natural communities require periodic fires for maintenance of their ecological integrity. Because of public concerns, wildfires can no longer be allowed to perform this mandatory function so prescribed burning is essential to manage these plant and animal communities. Out of concern to maintain the natural balance, Florida enacted its original fire management statutes in 1977 and 1990 to allow for prescribed burning. To strengthen these statutes, there was later an overview in 1999 that erected the current Prescribed Burning Act. This revision protected responsible burners “from civil liability with one goal in mind: to increase the number of acres treated with prescribed fire” (USDA).

The 1990 Prescribed Burning Act has been nationally recognized as landmark legislation protecting a landowner's right to use fire as a management tool. In the wake of the disastrous 1998 fire season in Florida, which was partially blamed on abnormal fuel accumulations, the Florida legislature modified this law so that a prescribed burner cannot be found civilly liable unless a court demonstrates that the burner was "grossly negligent." This unprecedented modification is a huge step in protecting the right to prescription burn in Florida.

Get to Know Your Burner

As a born and raised Floridian, I hold a firm value in keeping the legacy of our productive land alive now and for future generations. In doing so, the first step is maintaining it. We like working firsthand with those who share these values and FLF has gained an outstanding reputation with conservation groups, farmers, ranchers, and local landowners as a result.

A certified and responsible burner is equipped with the knowledge and skills to:

Understand what balance looks like for Floridian ecosystems
Plan accordingly with varying ecosystems
Protects areas where fire is a concern (residential, structural facilities, endangered species)
- Note: Some endangered species in Florida thrive with prescribed burning as it rehabilitates their natural habitat by promoting growth of new forage and livable habitat.
Safely and effectively manage where fire is introduced
Safely and effectively manage smoke
Work with the community to educate and address fire concerns
Work with local and state agencies

Bottom/Left: Though beautiful, this image depicts what can be considered a flatwoods ecosystem that is experiencing an overgrowth of the understory. Understory overgrowth (aka “fuels”) creates an increased risk of wildfire. Overgrowth also makes it difficult for wildfire to navigate and forage, creating a limited environment. In the same, it also created an overcompetitive environment for native plant species to thrive in, often resulting in invasive species take-over. This is what makes prescribed burning such a viable option for invasive plant management.

Top/Right: Pine flatwoods immediately after a controlled burn (top).

The same pine flatwoods in the months following the controlled burn (bottom).