June 24, 2021
Prescribed Burning on Arizona Private Land: Policy Issues
Ecologists and landowners today want to bring back the benefits of fires through controlled prescribed burns. These fires, sometimes in combination with cattle grazing, are used to control tree density, woody shrubs, and invasive species to promote healthy grasslands. After a fire, grazing animals are attracted to the lush re-growth of grass and concentrate their grazing in burned areas. Additionally, regularly applied fire can reduce the intensity of unplanned fires, a particularly important consideration as drought and higher than average temperatures are ever more common. Despite these benefits, widespread use of prescribed fires on private lands in Arizona and elsewhere has been limited by concerns about liability for fires that may escape control of the fire manager.
