Fuel Reduction Strategy Examples

Quincy Bluff, Adams County

As a fuel reduction partnership between DNR and The Nature Conservancy, the objective is to install, maintain, and improve fire breaks on Quincy Bluff to help facilitate fire management. The fire breaks will ultimately make prescribed burning safer and easier to accomplish. This project helps to protect people, property, and natural resources in the Town of Quincy.

Typical area before fuel reduction.	Example of fuel reduction on a fire break.
Prescribed burn at Quincy Bluff, spring 2004.	The Nature Conservancy prescribed burn crew at Quincy Bluff, Spring 2004.

Bell Mound Fuel Break, Jackson County

The pine fuel type of the area will be interrupted with the construction of a driveable fuel break 3.5 miles long. Fire fighters will be able to use the fuel break to respond to forest fires in the area. The Bell Mound Fuel Break is within a 700-acre pine plantation. The whole area was burned over during the fires of 1977. The project helps to protect people, property, and natural resources within the Towns of Manchester and Millston.

Bell Mound fuel break before the timber harvest.	Bell Mound fuel break after the timber harvest.
Before the root rake.	After the root rake.
Bulldozer with root rake.

Improving Emergency Vehicle Access, Washburn County

This project is a partnership among the DNR, Washburn County, and the Township of Casey. The focus of the project is to upgrade roads within the highly hazardous jack pine fuel type to improve access and provide a way out for structural and wildland fire-fighting vehicles, as well as to provide a safe route for evacuation of homeowners. A Hydro Axe was used to mow trees in areas next to residential areas. Roads were made useable by adding gravel and grading sand pockets. The roads are now accessible to fire fighting vehicles and residents as evacuation routes. This project helps to protect people, property, and natural resources in the Town of Casey.

Before brushing and hydro axe work.	After brushing and hydro axe work.

Marinette County Plantation Fuel Breaks

This project is a partnership between the DNR and Marinette County Forestry to establish and maintain fuel breaks on county forest land next to pine plantations along public roadways. This is an on-going project that began in 2003. Each year 75 miles of fuel breaks are maintained, 10 miles are re-established, and one mile of new fuel break is created. Breaks are disced each fall using county equipment. This project helps to protect people, property, and natural resources within and around the Marinette County Forest.

Disced fuel break along the Marinette County Forest.

Burnett County Prescribed Burns

Each year hundred of acres are burned in Burnett county to reduce the level of hazardous fuels in fire-prone communities.

Prescribed burn in October, 2004.