Prescribed Burning in Late Summer Benefits Ranchers, Air Quality

Abstract

AbstractFire is essential to the survival of the tallgrass prairies of Kansas and Oklahoma. To maintain the treeless prairie ecosystem, ranchers have historically burned pastures each spring from April to May. But when more than 500,000 acres are burned in a short period with slow winds and dense cloud, stagnant smoke can lead to unhealthy air quality in neighboring communities. The spring burning of rangeland coincides with weather patterns that create air quality issues (temperature inversions stemming from moderately warm days followed by cool nights). The solution to air quality issues is for ranchers to reschedule prescribed burnings for late summer or early fall when temperature inversions are less likely to occur. Earn 0.5 CEUs in Crop Management by reading the article and taking the quiz at https://web.sciencesocieties.org/Learning‐Center/Courses.