Skip to main content
News

Lighting the Way: Training about prescribed fire for conservation

Publish Date
Grazing Workshop attendees

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) staff attended North Dakota State University’s Central Grasslands Research Extension Center’s Prescribed Burn and Grazing Workshop Feb. 25 in Jamestown. 

JAMESTOWN, N.D. — Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) staff attended North Dakota State University’s Central Grasslands Research Extension Center’s Prescribed Burn and Grazing Workshop Feb. 25 in Jamestown. 

The workshop explored the role of prescribed burning in improving ecosystem health and livestock performance. Experts from across the Northern Great Plains—including agency representatives, livestock producers, researchers, and conservationists—shared the latest science and producer perspectives on prescribed fire and grazing.

Unlike wildfires, which often occur in extreme dry conditions with high winds, prescribed burns are carefully planned and executed under specific conditions for wind, temperature, humidity, and smoke dispersion. These controlled burns enhance forage quality, plant diversity, and vigor while managing invasive species. Workshop participants also noted the low flame heights and slow movement of prescribed fires across the landscape.

Speakers discussed how integrating prescribed burns with grazing can improve wildlife habitat, plant composition, forage quality, and cattle performance. Attendees also had the opportunity to ask questions and discuss challenges in implementing prescribed burns on North Dakota rangelands.

NRCS Support for Prescribed Fire

NRCS supports prescribed burning through various programs and resources aimed at promoting its safe and effective use as a land management tool.

“NRCS supports prescribed fire efforts through comprehensive conservation practice standards, technical assistance, and financial assistance,” said NRCS State Biologist Curt Bradbury. “By collaborating with partners, we ensure prescribed burns are conducted safely and effectively, ultimately enhancing plant community structure, managing pests, reducing wildfire hazards, and improving wildlife habitat. Our goal is to provide landowners with the tools and knowledge they need to achieve their conservation objectives while maintaining the health and productivity of their land.”

Prescribed Fire Talking Points for NRCS Staff

  • Conservation Practice Standards: NRCS has established a conservation practice standard for prescribed burning (Code 338), which outlines procedures and criteria for planning and conducting prescribed burns to ensure safety and effectiveness in achieving land management goals.
  • Technical Assistance: NRCS provides landowners and managers with technical assistance in developing and implementing prescribed burn plans. This includes guidance on site selection, timing, burn conditions, and regulatory compliance.
  • Financial Assistance: Through programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), NRCS offers financial support to landowners implementing prescribed burns as part of their conservation efforts. Funding may cover planning, equipment, and labor costs.
  • Collaboration with Partners: NRCS works with agencies, organizations, and local fire cooperatives, including the North Dakota Prescribed Fire Cooperative, to promote prescribed burning through training and landowner support.

Upcoming Partner-Led Prescribed Fire Trainings in 2025

The North Dakota Prescribed Fire Cooperative, Pheasants Forever, and the North Dakota Wildlife Federation invite landowners, ranchers, and community members to attend prescribed fire training sessions across the state. These sessions will provide foundational knowledge on prescribed burning and hands-on scenario planning.

Training Dates and Locations:

  • Medora – March 18, 5:30-8:30 p.m. MT | Billings County Fire Hall, 604 East River Rd. S, Medora, ND
  • Bismarck – March 19, 6-9 p.m. | North Dakota Game & Fish, 100 N. Bismarck Expressway, Bismarck, ND
  • Park River – March 20, 10 a.m. | City Hall Auditorium, 504 Briggs Ave. S, Park River, ND
  • Kindred – March 27, 6-9 p.m. | Kindred City Hall, 31 5th Ave. N, Kindred, ND

These free sessions will cover writing burn plans, ignition types, communication, safety and personal protective equipment (PPE), hazard mitigation, briefings, and weather considerations. Attendees will also practice planning a prescribed burn for a specific property.

For more information or to register, contact Cara Greger at 320-808-4897 or Kelli Kuska at 541-619-5188 or visit: https://bit.ly/3XlTBTj.

NRCS staff
NRCS staff attended North Dakota State University’s Central Grasslands Research Extension Center’s Prescribed Burn and Grazing Workshop Feb. 25 in Jamestown. The workshop provided insight into the role of prescribed burning in enhancing ecosystem services and livestock performance.
Native Prairie Plants
The United Prairie Foundation displayed native prairie plants at the Prescribed Burn and Grazing Workshop on Feb. 25 in Jamestown. The foundation, operated by local students, propagates native plants from seeds collected in remnant prairies to support waterfowl habitat, monarch butterflies, bees, and other pollinators.

***

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. To learn more, visit usda.gov.