Annual Prairie Burn scheduled for April 12

AINSWORTH - For those who see a blaze near Ainsworth on Friday, April 12, do not fear, it's part of the Washington County Conservation Department's annual Prairie Burn.

Washington County Naturalist Pam Holz warns the dry prairie grass on the north prairie that borders Highway 92 will burn quickly. She said when the annual fire is lit at 8 p.m., April 12, it may only take about 15 minutes for the accumulated grass to burn off. The best viewing location will be determined that night based on the direction of the wind. The educational portion of the event will begin at 7:30 p.m. at shelter 1.

'It basically burns as fast as we light it,” Holz explained. 'It is an absolutely spectacular burn. It can have flames 20 feet high. People have seen it all the way from Riverside. Dispatch gets all sorts of phone calls that places are on fire like the airport. Its totally safe. We have the Ainsworth Fire Department there to help us control it.”

The conservation department burns the grass off one of its two prairies each year. Burns are rotated annually between the north prairie and the southern prairie at the back of the park. Holz explained prairie burns are a natural part of the growth process for prairies. She said it gets rid of dead grass and opens up much of the ground for nesting animals, and increases seed production. She also said burning a prairie two years in a row is too much for the ecosystems of the prairie to handle and doesn't give it time to recover.

Holz said the burn is a good time to look for wildlife, as many animals move from the burning prairie grass.

The educational portion of the event will begin at 7:30 p.m. next to the nature center. Holz will give a presentation on the role of the prairie in Iowa history, the importance of fire on the native landscape, and how prairie fires have impacted people who lived on the plains. Holz will show and discuss the tools used for the burn and discuss the methods of a controlled burn. She also promises an experiment involving marshmallows to highlight the differences between a prairie fire and a woodland fire.

Holz did not know precisely how long the department had been doing a yearly prairie burn, but said it had been going on for decades.

In the event of wet or windy weather, the burn could be postponed or canceled. For more information or to check appropriate weather conditions, contact the Conservation/Education Center at 319-657-2400.