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    "parsed_content": "A \u201ctypical\u201d day as a burn boss (if there is one) | US Forest Service\nSkip to main content\nOfficial websites use .gov\nA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.\nSecure .gov websites use HTTPS\nA lock (\nLockA locked padlock\n) or https:\/\/ means you\u2019ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.\nA \u201ctypical\u201d day as a burn boss (if there is one)\nHow one burn boss uses prescribed fire to reduce risk in his community\nOlga Melancon\nSouthwestern Region Office, Region 3\nApril 3, 2025\nPrescribed Fire Burn Boss Cory Carlson discusses the plan for the Goldwater Prescribed Fire Project with Prescott National Forest Hotshot crew members. (USDA Forest Service photo by Ansgar Mitchell)\nIt\u2019s 8 a.m.\nCory Carlson is onsite and ready to start his workday as a district fire management officer in the Chino Valley Ranger District on the Prescott National Forest in Prescott, Arizona. On days when a prescribed fire is planned, he may take on the role of burn boss \u2013 a crucial figure in all aspects of the operation, responsible for conducting prescribed fires to protect both the land and the local community. From carrying out the elements of the burn plan, to liaising with local partner agencies, Carlson\u2019s day is an orchestration of skill, precision and collaboration.\nCarlson\u2019s current role is part of a legacy that dates back over a century to one of the largest and most devastating fire events in U.S. history, The Big Blowup, also known as the Big Burn.\nIn the summer of 1910, a series of wildfires swept through the national forests in Idaho, Montana and Washington. These fires would later culminate on August 20, when hurricane-force winds swept through and fanned embers and low flames back to life. The devastation from those fires led to a complete overhaul of fire management in the U.S., eventually giving rise to the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s Forest Service fire suppression policies. However, after a century of fire suppression, it became clear that the agency\u2019s policies were creating more problems than they solved.\nMost U.S. forests are adapted to fire, meaning they need fire for rejuvenation or to maintain critical ecological functions. Without a natural fire regime, these fire-adapted forests became unnaturally dense and overgrown. Over time, the Forest Service learned that fire can be a useful tool for forest management. Thus, the prescribed fire burn boss position was born.\nCarlson, who started with the Forest Service 23 years ago, has seen how prescribed fire, conducted with careful planning and precision, can reduce the risk of catastrophic and uncharacteristic wildfires while promoting healthier ecosystems.\nLarge wildfires like the 2017 Goodwin Fire are made worse by the buildup of undergrowth, also known as hazardous fuels. Prescribed fires, like those managed by Carlson and his fellow burn bosses help reduce the buildup of hazardous fuels. (USDA Forest Service image by Dylan Berget)\nThe Prescott National Forest area: A forest with a long history of fire\nThe Prescott National Forest area is a clear example of the value of this evolution in fire management. In the past, small fires naturally cycled through the ecosystem, clearing out undergrowth, also known as hazardous fuels, and helping the forest thrive. But over the past few decades, fire suppression efforts, coupled with the growth of nearby communities, have led to an unnatural buildup of these hazardous fuels, which makes the Prescott National Forest and forests like it more vulnerable to catastrophic wildfires. Restoring fire to the landscape helps reduce the buildup of these hazardous fuels, which in turn lowers the risk of catastrophic wildfires and the threat of destruction to homes, infrastructure, and natural resources. This makes Carlson and his team part of a larger national effort to restore fire to the land, protecting both the ecosystem and the surrounding communities.\nThe Prescott National Forest has made steady progress over the past 20 years with a significant uptick in the scale of prescribed fires. What used to be small 5 to 10-acre prescribed fires have turned into 100 to 200-acre burns and even several thousand acres, like the 4,000-acre burn near the Goldwater Lake, Groom Creek, Ponderosa Park and Indian Creek communities. These communities are home to several thousand residents who enjoy the Prescott National Forest as their backyard. Downtown Prescott and the City of Prescott, home to over 47,000 residents, sit just north of these communities and the forest\u2019s prescribed fires.\n\u201cAll the stars truly did align during this three-week process to make the Goldwater\/Ponderosa Park\/Indian Creek prescribed fire one of the most successful prescribed burns to ever occur on the forest,\u201d says Carlson. \u201cFavorable conditions and decades of work done in this area by prior fire managers were huge contributors to the success of this burn. This burn was in the bullseye of the Prescott\u2019s high wildfire risk landscape and in one of the top three high risk firesheds in the country.\u201d\nAs Carlson reflects on his career in fire management, it\u2019s clear that the evolution of tools, particularly the use of specialized drones, has positively changed prescribed fire. The Prescott National Forest now uses drones instead of firefighters to put fire in steep areas, making the work safer and more efficient.\nHowever, for Carlson and other burn bosses, a deep understanding of the landscape is vital before fire can be prescribed to any area.\nAn uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) or drone pilot conducts a pre-flight check during the 2023 Goldwater prescribed fire project. The drones use infrared and other visual aides to monitor fire and smoke. (USDA Forest Service photo by Ansgar Mitchell)\nPreparing the landscape for a prescribed fire\n\u201cWe\u2019re not just lighting the forest out there willy-nilly. It\u2019s very strategic. From idea to burn, we have a five-year map that we work from, which is guided by years of planning and interdisciplinary coordination,\u201d Carlson explains.\nThe five-year Prescott National Forest Land Management Plan and the National Environmental Policy Act define where prescribed fire treatments are needed. In places like Prescott, the highest priority areas are those in or near the wildland-urban interface, where wildfires pose the greatest risk to homes and the entire community, as well as critical infrastructure, such as power lines, communication sites and recreation sites.\nOnce the land is selected, the real work begins. Carlson works closely with a team of resource specialists to assess the land\u2019s needs and risks. Preparation can take months or even years, with control features such as roads, trails and natural barriers mapped and reinforced. In some cases, handlines, dozer lines or saw lines are constructed.\nNext, it\u2019s time to write the burn plan, which outlines the weather conditions, number of resources required, prescription and operational parameters. A qualified agency administrator, usually a district ranger or forest supervisor with the appropriate level of qualification, reviews and signs the plan. It includes 20 elements, and every element has a requirement. If any one of those elements can't be met or mitigated, the burn is put on hold until it can.\nWhen conditions and resources align, Carlson looks for an appropriate weather window. Even when perfect conditions occur, the state air quality agency must approve the burn, and smoke impacts must be monitored. In a nutshell, substantial pre-planning and coordination must take place before implementation can occur.\nPrescott National Forest Hotshot crew members monitor the effects of the Goldwater Prescribed Fire. (USDA Forest Service photo by Ansgar Mitchell)\nBurn day: A complex, coordinated effort\nYears of preparation culminate on the day of the official burn. Carlson\u2019s morning starts with a briefing with the agency administrator to discuss the \u201cgo\/no-go\u201d authorization, one of the 20 burn plan elements, ensuring all conditions align with the burn plan. With weather forecasts confirmed and smoke approval granted, Carlson meets with his fire team to double check resources, equipment and personnel. The burn operation is extensive, with teams split up to manage the ignition, monitor smoke impacts and ensure that safety procedures are in place.\nThroughout the day, Carlson checks in regularly with dispatch, providing updates on progress and changes in conditions. As the burn dwindles, he\u2019s already thinking about next steps: holding the fire overnight, debriefing his team and carrying out a long-term patrol and monitoring plan before fully releasing resources.\nFor Carlson, being a burn boss isn\u2019t just about fire. It\u2019s about ensuring that the forests\u2014and the communities alongside them\u2014can thrive for generations to come.\n\u201cI was born in Prescott and, having spent my entire life here, one of the most important things to me is making sure this community is protected from catastrophic wildfire, all while reducing the impacts of smoke. I encourage people to stay informed, come to Firewise or fire education events and pass information along to your neighbors,\u201d says Carlson.\n###\nA special thank you to Public Affairs Specialist Amy Androff for assisting with interviewing and organizing this article.\nRead Next\nMany hands tippin\u2019 torches\nWildfire and Safety\nPrescribed fire boosts community safety & forest health\nWildfire and Safety\nValentine Fire restores forest and community\nWildfire and Safety\nForest Service fights fire by starting a few\nWildfire and Safety",
    "ai_headline": "A \u201ctypical\u201d day as a burn boss (if there is one) | US Forest Service",
    "ai_simplified_title": "Burn Boss Manages Prescribed Fires to Protect Communities",
    "ai_excerpt": "A burn boss orchestrates prescribed fires to reduce wildfire risk and promote forest health. They plan and execute burns, coordinating with agencies and monitoring conditions. The article highlights the evolution of fire management and the importance of protecting communities.",
    "ai_subject_tags": [
        "Prescribed Fire",
        "Wildfire Management",
        "Forest Management",
        "Burn Boss",
        "Ecosystem Health",
        "Community Safety",
        "US Forest Service"
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