How often should I conduct a prescribed fire?

Prescribed fire frequency is determined according to land management objectives and post-fire evaluations. Accordingly, one size or frequency does not fit all. For example, adjacent landowners may have similar properties but different management objectives that require different burn frequencies. Regardless of the objectives, post-fire evaluations and in some cases monitoring is required to determine when or if another prescribed burn is necessary. Some objectives may be evaluated immediately following fire, such as the reduction of dead and down fuels, while others may require multiple growing seasons or fires to determine, such as change in hardwood cover. Contact your local Cooperative Extension agent to discuss prescribed fire management objectives, burn frequency, and monitoring techniques suitable for your specific region.