Prescribed Fire Awareness Month

WHEREAS, prescribed burning is the skilled application of fire under planned weather and fuel conditions to achieve specific management objectives; and

WHEREAS, prescribed burning is a property owner’s right and a benefit to society; and

WHEREAS, ecosystems throughout Alabama have developed in an environment in which low intensity fires occurred on a frequent interval; and

WHEREAS, as a key tool in the management of Alabama’s woodlands, grasslands and wildlife, prescribed fire is the most effective, natural and economical protection against wildfires through the reduction of fuels which have accumulated in the absence of fire and is critical to the ecological integrity of our natural resources; and

WHEREAS, many plants and animals are dependent on the application of prescribed fire for their survival; and

WHEREAS, the approximately one million acres of Alabama’s range and woodlands that are burned annually represent only one-fourth of the estimated 3.6 million acres that could benefit from prescribed fire from the coastal plain to the mountains; and

WHEREAS, prescribed fire is a traditional land management tool and is part of Alabama’s heritage and culture:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert Bentley, Governor of Alabama, do hereby proclaim the month of February 2015, as

Prescribed Fire Awareness Month

in the state of Alabama and encourage all Alabamians to learn more about prescribed burning and the essential role fire plays in the stewardship of our natural resources and protection of our citizens.