Smoky Hills Prescribed Burn Association

10/28/2026

When Cedar Moves In, Prairie Changes 🌾

Eastern red cedar is a native tree in parts of the Great Plains—but when it spreads into open Kansas grasslands, it can create real management challenges.

As cedar cover increases, it crowds out native grasses and wildflowers, reduce available grazing forage, and change the open structure that many grassland wildlife species depend on.

For landowners, that can mean less usable pasture and more work to maintain a healthy grassland. For wildlife, the loss of open prairie can mean less suitable nesting and brood-rearing habitat for grassland-dependent species.

So what’s the answer?

There isn’t one answer for every property. Depending on the site, tree size, level of encroachment, and management goals, options may include prescribed fire, mechanical removal, targeted chemical treatments, or a combination of approaches.

Prescribed fire can be an important tool, particularly as part of a planned, ongoing management strategy. But established trees, heavy woody fuels, terrain, and nearby resources all affect what is practical and safe.

The goal isn’t simply to remove every tree. It’s to manage woody growth in a way that supports the grassland and the objectives for that particular piece of ground.

Question for our prairie community: What changes have you noticed where eastern red cedar has spread into open grassland?

10/26/2026

Before You Burn: The Plan Comes First 🔥

A safe prescribed burn starts well before the first match is struck.

Whether you’re managing a pasture, restoring native prairie, or preparing a conservation area, taking time to plan can make a real difference.

Before a planned burn, ask yourself:

✅ Are conditions appropriate? Check the forecast, wind direction, humidity, and expected changes—not just the current weather.

✅ Have I checked local requirements? Burn permits, notifications, and restrictions can vary by county and current conditions.

✅ Are the site and firebreaks ready? Consider the terrain, fuel loads, nearby trees, fences, buildings, roads, and neighboring properties.

✅ Are people and equipment ready? Make sure qualified help, reliable equipment, water, and other necessary resources are available.

✅ What could change? Wind shifts, smoke movement, and changing weather can turn a manageable situation into a dangerous one. Know when to postpone or stop.

Prescribed fire is a valuable land-management tool, but it isn’t appropriate for every site or every set of conditions. A sound burn plan accounts for the land, the objective, and the risks. Landowners in the Smoky Hills can contact the SHPBA for burn plan assistance.

When conditions aren’t right, waiting is good management—not a failure.

Question for our Smoky Hills landowners: What’s one thing you always check before deciding whether a burn can go ahead?



Sources:

• KS Fire —
• Kansas State Fire Marshal -
• K-State Extension —

10/25/2026

🔥 Smoky Hills PBA: Fire Safety When Burning Tree Piles

Tree piles can be an effective way to dispose of unwanted eastern red cedar and other woody debris while improving the condition of your land. But a tree pile fire can quickly become a dangerous situation without proper planning and preparation.

Before you strike a match, take time to make safety your first priority. NEVER USE STRAIGHT GASOLINE AS YOUR IGNITION SOURCE. Always mix gas with a dominant amount of diesel or used oil.

🌿 Prepare the site. Choose a location away from buildings, fences, utility lines, standing timber, and other combustible materials. Clear flammable vegetation around the pile and consider how heat and flying embers could affect nearby areas.

🌬️ Check the weather. Wind speed and direction, humidity, temperature, and fuel moisture all influence fire behavior. Conditions can change quickly. If the weather is outside your safe operating limits, postpone the burn.

🚜 Have equipment ready. Make sure you have appropriate firefighting equipment, water, and enough help to manage the fire safely. A tractor or other equipment may be useful, but only if it can be operated safely and without becoming trapped or damaged by heat.

🔥 Burn manageable piles. Large piles can produce intense heat, tall flames, and showers of embers. Avoid building piles larger than you can safely control. Keep people, livestock, and equipment at a safe distance.

📱 Know the rules. Have your burn permit, notify the appropriate authorities when required, and make sure you have the necessary permissions. Never assume that a burn is allowed simply because conditions appear favorable.

👀 Stay until it is out. Never leave a tree pile fire unattended. Monitor the pile and surrounding area for escaping embers. After the flames disappear, deep-seated material can continue smoldering and reignite hours or even days later. Thoroughly extinguish the pile and continue checking it until you are confident it is cold.

Remember: A successful burn is one that accomplishes the job without putting people, property, or natural resources at risk. If conditions are unsafe or you lack the equipment and help needed, wait for another day or seek experienced assistance.

The Smoky Hills Prescribed Burn Association encourages landowners to plan carefully, respect fire, and put safety first every time.

Have you burned tree piles on your property? What safety practices have worked for you? Share your experience below!

10/23/2026

SHPBA wish list! Any benevolent donors available??? 😂😂

10/22/2026

“Prescribed fire remains one of the most effective and cost-efficient tools available for reducing hazardous fuels, improving wildlife habitat, controlling invasive species, enhancing ecosystem health, and lowering the risk of catastrophic wildfire. Expanding the capacity of trained burn managers is an important step toward creating more resilient Smoky Hills landscapes.” ‘Copied from West Texas Rangelands’

10/19/2026

10/05/2026

1. Mark Your Calendar: Annual Meeting at Rolling Hills Zoo, Late January

It's time to put the SHPBA Annual Meeting on your calendar. We'll gather the last week of January (exact date coming soon) at Rolling Hills Zoo's conference center west of Salina — a great space to bring the whole membership together under one roof before burn season kicks into gear. Expect a recap of last year's burns, a look at upcoming equipment and training needs, elections for association leadership, and time to simply sit down with fellow pyromaniacs over a snacks and b**r. The theme for this meeting will be ‘Back to the Basics’. This meeting matters more than it might seem. SHPBA runs on neighbors helping neighbors, and the annual meeting is where that relationship gets renewed — new members meet veteran crews, questions get answered face to face, and plans for the season start taking shape. Bring your spouse, bring a neighbor who's curious about joining. Watch for the firm date and RSVP details in November's newsletter, and reply now if you'd like to help plan the agenda or volunteer for a role in the coming year. Forward this email to those who may be interested.

2. Winter Is Planning Time — Get Your Burn Plan Started Now

November through February aren’t typical burn months in the Smoky Hills, but it's the most important planning time on the calendar. A written burn plan — your objectives, prescription windows, firebreaks, and contingency steps — takes time to put together, and it's often required for liability coverage and NRCS/FSA cost-share programs. Waiting until a good burn day shows up on the forecast is too late to start from scratch. If you don't have a current plan on file, now's the time. Reach out to me directly or contact the local NRCS office and request that I write your plan, and let's get your plan written during this time so you're ready the moment conditions turn. Reply and let us know which pastures you're planning to burn this season — we'll get the paperwork moving.

3. The Burn Crew Is the Real Advantage of Membership

No one burns well alone. The value of SHPBA isn't just equipment or know-how — it's the crew that shows up when you call. A safe burn depends on enough hands on enough drip torches and enough eyes on the black line, and that's what neighbors burning together provides that no one can do solo. If you've leaned on a crew in past years, think about who you can show up for in return. Reply with the timeframe you're hoping to burn — let's start matching crews now before the window opens.

4. Why the Burn Window Pays Off Come Spring

Once conditions turn — typically late March through May in the Smoky Hills, once dormant grass, adequate fuel, and the right humidity and wind line up — pastures that get burned often green up a week or two ahead of unburned ground. The blackened soil warms faster in the sun, and the old thatch that was holding back new growth is gone. That head start means earlier turnout and better early-season forage quality, which is worth real money by May. Winter’s planning work is what makes that window usable the moment it opens — a crew lined up, a plan on file, equipment checked. The pastures that green up first are usually the ones someone already had a plan for. Reply and let us know which units are on your list for this spring — let's start matching crews now.

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Smoky Hills Prescribed Burn Association
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Prescribed Burn Video:

The Smoky Hills Prescribed Burn Association is a 501c3 landowner co...

09/24/2026

Take a close look at these images and you will see a reason for prescribing fire. Notice the crowns. These are a ‘bunchgrass’ that as the plant grows and dormants, the thatch builds inside the crown pushing the growth points outward in a circle. As the plant ages the interior portion of the crown loses production. The fire sweeps through burning the interior thatch and releases the crown allowing the interior to respond to growth. Using a burn management plan alleviates that crown thatch improving the health of the plant and increasing productivity. Contact SHPBA to assist in building your burn plan and management plan.