KDHE encourages reduced spring pasture burns
Officials from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, along with the Kansas Department of Agriculture, are strongly encouraging all land owners and managers to reduce the number of pasture acres they intend to burn this spring, as a way to mitigate any respiratory complications from smoke from prescribed fires. Hospitals in Kansas City, Wichita and other population centers in the Flint Hills already are dealing with COVID-19 cases. Smoke from pasture burns could complicate the situation.
“With the potential for this pandemic overwhelming the state’s medial facilities, any additional respiratory concerns that could be produced from breathing smoke from prescribed fire need to be mitigated,” said KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman.
“Prescribed burning is a valuable land management tool in the efforts to fight invasive species and maximize land productivity, and this request should not be interpreted as an indictment of the practice of burning,” said Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam. “However, the circumstances surrounding the coronavirus pandemic have created a situation that calls for reducing burned acres this spring.”
In an average year without the threat of complications from COVID-19, hospitals often see health problems related to smoke from Flint Hills prescribed burning including: runny nose, burning eyes, coughing and even bronchitis. Individuals already challenged with respiratory issues, including COVID-19, pre-existing heart or lung diseases, children and the elderly may experience worse symptoms according to the KDHE.
“With resources of the county emergency response staff already being taxed with COVID-19 response, it is important to minimize responses that would come with prescribed fire activity,” according to the release.
Kansas Livestock Association echoed the call, and the Kansas Farm Service Agency and Kansas Natural Resources Conservation Service are encouraging the delay of any schedule prescribed burning of Conservation Reserve Program acres. FSA and NRCS, according to the KLA release, will assist landowners in choosing an alternative type of CRP management practice for the current year through a revised Conservation Plan of Operations. CRP contract producers will need to contact their local service center to get the change request process started.
Those who do choose to burn are strongly advised to consult the smoke modeling tool at www.ksfire.org. The Smoke Model tool indicates the level at which a burn would contribute to urban area air quality problems. Beam urges land managers to refrain from burning, especially if their area is predicted in the large red-colored contribution range.
Jennifer M. Latzke can be reached at 620-227-1807 or [email protected].
