USF&WS Approves Use of Blacklining Machine

On January 18 we wrote about the machine being tested by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that burns a 5-foot wide black line as it is towed behind a tractor. Now their Huron Wetland Management District in South Dakota has approved the use of the equipment. More details are on their web site.

Black Lining With a Machine

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in South Dakota has been experimenting with a tractor-towed machine that creates black lines which can be put in prior to a prescribed fire. Black lines, a relatively narrow strip of burned vegetation along the perimeter of a planned prescribed fire project, can make the ignition and holding of the main burn go much more quickly and also reduce the chance of a slop-over.

The equipment is made by Firebreak Equipment, a firm in South Africa. Their web site does not play well with Firefox--it's better with Internet Explorer. More photos are on their web album.

The device uses propane burners in a metal enclosure to burn the ground fuel, while water nozzles on the sides create a wet line to keep the fire from spreading. This toy tool looks like it would be fun to play with.