Female Forester Forever – Fire Weather – October 25, 2015

 

Seems to be an unusual autumn. I can’t remember in the backyard having my roughleaf dogwood, hazelnuts shrubs, redbud, false indigo, pawpaw, bald cypress tree and river birch tree turning color at the same time. Overall, the coloring seems to be muted and even somewhat sporadic this year, but the pawpaw has a vibrant yellow this year.

Living in the county instead of the country, as a forester, I get to enjoy this beautiful Indian Summer weather. But I can’t help remembering about how urban dwellers tend to go out to their cabins to clean up leaves and debris at this time of year, then they burn them. More often than not, they will leave with some hot coals still hidden under the pile of ashes or in the barrel.

At this time of year we get a lot of erratic winds and low humidity…Fire Weather.!!! I have been to multiple fires in one day due to debris burning escapes. The winds carry the sparks from the pile and out of the barrel, into the dry grass or woods. Then we really get a fire, and maybe the absentee landowner comes back to the land to find tree bases scorched and perhaps the cabin a pile of ashes.

It is not worth the risk. If you are lighting a fire, be sure you can be with it until it is COMPLETELY out. Scorched Trees grow to be hollow hazards. …………. pictures coming

Charlotte E. Schneider, Certified Arborist since 1998, Missouri Forester over 35 years

Master Gardener MBG, Author Female Forester Forever