Spotty burn in the wet meadow

posted in: Education, Events, Stewardship | 0
Using a drip torch to light the thatch under the grasses and sedges on fire.
A firefighter using a drip torch to light the thatch under the grasses and sedges on fire.

Today the fire crew from Northeast Fire and Forest Management, with assistance from the Town of North Brookfield and Mass. Dept. Conservation and Recreation, turned their attention to the wet meadow at Wendemuth Meadow. The goal was to burn as much of the thatch lying under all the grass, sedges and bushes to burn off. The vegetation was thicker here than at Frohloff Farm, and since it is lighter material there was some question about how fast the fire would move.

From the visitor stand point the whole burn went smoothly. The far line was burned and the crew had water to hose down the break to keep fire from getting into the stone wall. The main crew walked back and forth across the wet meadow starting lines of fire and the wind pushed the fire westward into the area previously burned. That keeps the fire contained. Check out our Facebook page for more photographs.

From behind the barn looking westward across the wet meadow as the fire crew works through the burn area.
From behind the barn looking westward across the wet meadow as the fire crew works through the burn area.

 

The southern edge of the burn area shows the patchiness of the burn with the mowed meadow trail meandering along the wet meadow.
The southern edge of the burn area shows the patchiness of the burn with the mowed meadow trail meandering along the wet meadow.