What advice do you have for someone who is just starting out in the world of fire management?
Every fire that you do will be different from the last. So be humble and don’t get complacent.
What are the most common factors that trigger you to decide not to burn after having received a Florida Forest Service authorization?
This is the hardest decision a burn boss will have to make. Some triggers that have led me to shut down a burn are:
Forecasted weather is not what you are seeing on the ground.
During the initial firing operations there are a lot of spot fires.
Multiple equipment failures.
If the fire behavior is not what you hoped it to be to complete your desired goals.
What are some of the components of a great burn team?
Trusting one another, respecting everyone’s role, professionalism and humor.
What do you think about varying time of year for burning maintenance zones to maintain diversity?
Ultimately that should be every burn boss’ goal. It would mimic more what nature intended to keep the natural communities healthy and increase species richness. This cannot always be achieved because of factors that preclude us from burning seasonally.
Is burning the only answer to maintaining a natural community?
Yes and no. I believe prescribed fire is the most important tool we have when it comes to natural resource management, but there are invasive plants that thrive after a fire, so we must use additional means to maintain the natural community.
About the Author
Maulik Patel
Maulik Patel grew up in the Chicago area. After graduating from Eastern Illinois University in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science degree in zoology, he found his way to Southwest Florida. There he started his career with the Conservancy of Southwest Florida as an intern and stayed on as a full-time naturalist at the Brigg’s Nature Center. Maulik joined the Florida Park Service in 2003 as a park ranger at Collier-Seminole State Park. There he gained experience in exotic plant management and prescribed fire. After a few years, he was promoted to environmental specialist at Estero Bay Preserve State Park. After a two-and-a-half-year stint at Estero Bay Preserve State Park, Maulik returned to Collier-Seminole State Park as the first biologist the park ever had and has been working for the Florida Park Service for 18 years. Maulik continues to improve and protect the natural resources at the park with the help of many agencies and interagency cooperates that call Southwest Florida home.
About the Burn Boss Q&A Series
Florida’s state parks add tremendous value to Florida’s natural environment. The division’s burn bosses lead the efforts to implement fire plans in ecosystems that require fire for maximum health. This project highlights the diverse, balanced and quality professional workforce of burn bosses by having them share lessons learned with other staff members. Select staff were presented with 20 questions. They are asked to answer three to five of them.
