Enhanced Rx Fire 2015

Fire on state and federal lands has not been applied to the Minnesota landscape at a rate that mimics historic fire intervals, 1 to 4 years, allowing encroachment of trees and brush into prairies and grasslands, which lowers the productivity of grassland wildlife. The primary aim of this project is to bring in fire crew modules, their equipment and expertise, and integrate them with existing USFWS prescribed fire staff to increase the capacity to conduct Rx fires across the National Wildlife Refuges and Waterfowl Production Areas in the prairie region of the state. On days that the crews can’t burn due to weather, they will do tree removal and other habitat projects. If, at the end of the season, we have not spent all the money, we will request an amendment to hire local contractors for tree removal or other habitat projects on selected WPAs.