any advice? do you guys just burn grass pastures? Lots of cactus and mesquite on ours - how does that work?
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Better make sure there are plenty of fire breaks. Pretty scary doing burns in south Texas with fire stations few and far between. Everyone remembers the brush fire at the chaparral WMA that started by welding a gate that killed a lot of deer behind trapped behind the high fences. -
Contact the local USDA service center. Conservationist can help with a burn plan.Comment
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We just burned some grass strips a month or so ago and hopefully will burn more in the coming weeks. Be sure to create your fire breaks all the way around the areas. Call the local fire department to make sure they are ok with you burning. A lot of counties down there have burn bans right now.
Depending on how dense your grass is, which really dictates how intense the fire is, the fire will kill a lot of the little mesquite, some of the cactus and brush in the grass strips. It is amazing how quickly the new growth comes back after a burn.
good luckComment
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My dad has been burning the last 2 weeks. Make sure you have fire breaks as others have mentioned. We don't have a ton of grass in large spots on the ranch so it is really difficult to get a fire to carry for any distance. It does help the pasture for sure. We only started doing it last year.Comment
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I used to burn every year in S TX. Great tool. Get some professional guidance to reduce risk and ensure attainable goals.
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I burned off a large buffel field a few years ago at the ranch. Scared me to death!!! I cut fire lanes all around perimeter and a couple thru the interior of the field. have burned in La. a lot and thought I knew what I was doing. Seconds after lighting the fire with flames licking high into the sky and roaring intensely I feared I may burn all of Mexico down . As LUCK would have it the burn worked well. But I have never burned down there since.Comment
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Start small...
But 1st contact the NRCS, they will provide lots of great information. May even have access to some equipment and people. We have a burn association in my county and they provide classes from time to time to educate as well as get to know others who are willing to assist.
Stay small...
tending the fire,
Bob G.Comment
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I burned a small open pasture today... only about 45 acres. It was too humid but I wanted to get it in before it greened up further. I’m trying to pick a different pasture, or portions of a pasture, each year. It’ll help everything... grass, wildlife, and brush control. Sometimes it’ll definitely make you pucker up when it really gets to roaring. Today, however, that wasn’t the case. Fickle winds and the humidity kept it from getting going as much as I had hoped.Comment
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I have burned about 700 acres out of 2000 the last 2 years. It is very well planned and when you do it right it is controlled well. Occasionally it can get scary if the wind comes up quickly or gets fickle. get someone with experience to help you the first time. You will need firebreaks 20 feet wide on entire perimeter and then break your burn into sections back burning first the most down wind sections to create a larger and larger down wind firebreak. we use water sprayers and large trashcans with water and wet mops to put out fires that get away. you need to have burn meeting and some helpers and radios work better than cell phones. get everyone organized and it should go well. typically sunny humidity below 45% with southeast wind 5-10 mph on your first one. Best burning starts after 1100 hrs. NRCS can help. good luck you will be glad you didComment
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