A controlled grass burn is scheduled Thursday morning for the Baker Wetlands south of Lawrence, said Roger Boyd, director of natural areas for Baker University.
An area between 200 and 250 acres will be burned in sections, beginning about 8 a.m., Boyd said, though wet weather overnight could delay the start time by a few hours. The grass burning could take most of the morning. It is scheduled for today because the wind is expected to be out of the north.
Boyd said the burn served several purposes, including to kill woody vegetation and to shorten the grass, which is 9 feet high in some areas, thus allowing new plants to grow.
Comments
Cant_have_it_both_ways 5 years, 6 months ago
Seems no one cares about the endangered wildlife being burned to death. Where are the greenies and frog lovers now?
guess_again 5 years, 6 months ago
Seared Agnes T. ummm ummm good.
kernal 5 years, 6 months ago
Better a controlled burn now than a wildfire this summer.
Although lightening is often the culprit of wildfires so are humans. Especially irresponsible are people who persist in throwing lit cigarette butts out their car window during red flag warnings.
Jeremiah Jefferson 5 years, 6 months ago
I have no respect for a smoker who throws their butts on the ground. Talk about lazy.
Jake Esau 5 years, 6 months ago
Anyone who has ever done a highway cleanup knows just how many people throw cigarette butts out car windows. It's disgusting.
Ken Lassman 5 years, 6 months ago
I realize that the tongue is planted firmly in several commenter's cheeks, but for those who don't know, prairie burns are management techniques that have been used by humans in this area for thousands of years in order to 1) kill woody invasives which in this area would otherwise take over the prairies; and 2) stimulate earlier growth of grasses and forbs, some of which have evolved to grow better with periodic burns, providing a higher quality, earlier source of food that actually attracts wildlife.
And for those who are concerned about the greenhouse gases and pollution released by the burns, fire has been a central part of these ecosystems since time immemorial and are creating emissions that have been incorporated into the atmosphere for just as long. To blame burning prairies as the problem is kinda like paving over much of a valley and complaining that the creek that drains it is a big problem because it is overflowing the banks and therefore needs to be channelized. In other words, we need to take care of our emissions before worrying about the emissions from prairie burns.
Cant_have_it_both_ways 5 years, 6 months ago
It is always ok, depending on who or what wants to do it.
asixbury 5 years, 6 months ago
The animals aren't stupid. They will run (or fly or slither) away from the fire. Controlled burns do not spreed very quickly if don't correctly, so the slow burn gives plenty of time for the wildlife to scoot.
KSense 5 years, 6 months ago
Animals have a strong instinct to run from fire. They'll get out of the way.
otto 5 years, 6 months ago
Or sometimes the rabbits, rats etc... hide in their dens until the heat gets so intense they run out and across the field while on fire spreading the fire for you.
Cant_have_it_both_ways 5 years, 6 months ago
Great... then if they are smart enough to run from fire..then they should be smart enough to run away from the machinery and equipment required to build the long needed SLT.
I am glad we agree on something.
Jeremiah Jefferson 5 years, 6 months ago
and after that the wildlife can run while they will build new houses, and after that people will start hitting the deer and complaining about nuicence wildlife. gota love city folks.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 5 years, 6 months ago
Why don't you just say you don't give a damn about the wildlife-- you only care about your five minutes of convenience.
Cant_have_it_both_ways 5 years, 6 months ago
If I don't care, then maybe I should volunteer to start the fires. You see, it is not me that does not care. I also wonder how many sacred Indian items will be lost forever.... maybe we should ask Tushi?
asixbury 5 years, 6 months ago
Sacred items in a location that used to be perpetually-flooded cropland? Not likely. These controlled fires have happened before, so if there is anything there, it would have already been burned. Not to mention, the items (if there are any) are probably buried if not discovered yet.
Nice try, but no cigar.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 5 years, 6 months ago
You care alright-- but only about your narrow little world, and anything outside that narrow little world exists only to be mocked, because mocking allows you to disavow the humanity of others just as thoroughly as you disavow your own.
asixbury 5 years, 6 months ago
Controlled burns are not destroying the wildlife, it actually enhances their environment. State parks use this technique a lot. This method help prevents wildfires, which we can all agree is much more destructive.
I can't believe people around here actually have a problem with controlled burns! The rest of Kansas, including me, think you are all crazy, and not in a good way.
asixbury 5 years, 6 months ago
Animals adapt to their environments much better than humans ever could. They will be fine. They will find another hole in the ground to live in.
FlintlockRifle 5 years, 6 months ago
Fresh cooked Agnes---
George Lippencott 5 years, 6 months ago
Don't hurt my goose!!
camper 5 years, 6 months ago
+1
asixbury 5 years, 6 months ago
Hey, you beat me to it! I call second!
asixbury 5 years, 6 months ago
Are you Holden? William Holden?
LadyJ 5 years, 6 months ago
The old boardwalk at the wetlands was accidentally burned up during a "controlled" burn that got out of control. They had been advised by the gas pipeline company that it was too windy but they insisted on going ahead anyway.
asixbury 5 years, 6 months ago
That's too bad. Accidents happen. But the boardwalk sounds pretty neat; I hope they rebuild it someday.
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