CLEAR LAKE – Local fire departments responded to a blaze on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) land on 170th Street, 1.25 miles west of Grouse Avenue this afternoon.
The fire was reported at about 12:40 p.m. It was said that this was a controlled burn that had gotten out of control.
Clear Lake, Thornton and Swaledale fire fighters responded to the scene.
It was reported that the fire was out by 1:15 pm.
The point of burning is to kill all the grasses that overrun the tall prairie grasses. The bad grass takes too many nutrients from other plants and trees. Overall it just makes the crp land better habitat for nesting birds. Also April 15th is the latest you can burn to allow those birds to nest.
The Control Burn is nothing more than a handful of conservation minded do-gooders with a book of matches that really believe that the burn is benificial.
Tell me who benifits when smoke covers the horizon as it did this afternoon or any other burn for that matter. It covered miles of the horizon with poor air quality.
This practice needs to be curtailed or at least scaled way back.
Just how many nesting teal, Mallard and Pheasant were disturbed or destroyed?
But then are those that think that the whole state should be planted in Native Prarie and burned on a yearly Basis.
Conservation…… A Land ethic of conflicting practices that sometimes lack an understanding of an ever changing landscape becoming more unfamilar by the year.
I didn’t read anywhere where it said that the DNR was doing the burn. I’ve always thought that CRP ground belonged to the farmers, and we all know how they like to burn, it’s just that it didn’t say who was doing the burn. I could be wrong tho. There are four agencies that control the CRP program. The USDA, CCC, FDA, and the NRCS. Nowhere does it mention the DNR. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation_Reserve_Program
If the DNR spent as much time keeping our rivers clean we would all be better off. Can’t wait for one these weeny roast to burn somebodys house down.
good idea having a controled burn during a red flag warning period. Does anybody have any brains?
There’s a “red Flag” Waring currently in effect? Who issued it, and when? ‘Cuz I can’t find any record of one being currently in effect.
That said, with conditions as they are today, a controlled burn was non the best of ideas to carry out today.