BOLIVAR, Mo. – When used in controlled, supervised conditions, fire can be a beneficial land management tool. However, it’s important to stress that prescribed fire involves planning and on-site management.

People wanting to learn how to use fire as a land management tool should sign up for the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) prescribed fire workshop on April 6. This hands-on demonstration burn will be from 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on a privately owned farm, Pierce Land and Cattle LLC, at 3645 Highway O near Humansville in Polk County. At the April 6 event, attendees will participate in an actual prescribed fire. To take part in this portion of the program, participants must first complete the online portion of this class.

People can register for the April 6 workshop at https://bit.ly/4959dhO.

People will get a link to the online portion of the workshop when they register. The online portion will take from 2-4 hours to complete. Upon completing the online portion, participants will receive a certificate which they must bring to the April 6 workshop. The online course requires a $25 fee which is paid to a third-party host.

For the April 6 part of this workshop, participants will gather at Pierce Land and Cattle LLC. There, Private Land Conservationist Meghan Lawler will discuss how to execute a prescribed burn to achieve land-management goals and, weather permitting, program participants will get hands-on experience by conducting a demonstration burn. Topics covered will include equipment, burn line installation, safe weather parameters, ignition operations and other aspects needed to conduct a safe and successful prescribed burn. Appropriate dress for the burn will be leather boots, leather gloves, cotton pants, cotton long-sleeve shirt, and safety glasses. Hand tools will be provided.

Snacks will be provided, but participants are asked to bring their own sack lunch.

To get more information about this event, contact Lawler at Meghan.Lawler@mdc.mo.gov or at 417-326-5993, ext. 112.