Controlled Burning on Nantucket

As experienced by Peter Boyce

I start the day off looking relatively clean. Here I am at 9:00am with Nomex fire suit, boots, hard hat, goggles, radio, gloves and a water bottle.

Unless noted otherwise, these pictures are taken by Peter Boyce in 2002

After we get briefed about the day's burn, it doesn't take long to get the fire started.

I am using a drip torch to light the grass to get a burned strip along the road to contain the fire. The burn boss in the red hard hat is describing what we will do next.
Photo by Daniel Sutherland

It gets to be thirsty work when the fire really gets started.
Photo by Daniel Sutherland

The fire can look so non-threatening on one side and then turn into an inferno in the middle of the burn.

Where the hoses reach,
we can lay down a wet line
to control the fire.

But most of the time we have to
control the fire the old fashioned way
-- with backpack pumps.
Photo by Daniel Sutherland

Sarah Treanor (2003)
Maria Mitchell Association (now with Nantucket Conservation Foundation)

Fire Crew Boss Ernie Steinauer
Massachusetts Audobon Society

Tony Molis
UMASS, Boston
Nantucket Field Station

Nantucket Conservation Foundation

Nantucket Land Bank

Massachusetts Audobon Society *

Maria Mitchell Association

UMASS-Boston Nantucket Field Station

Nantucket Land Council

Plus many volunteers...

email: pboyce@aas.org