The Hoot and Holler neighborhood near Winthrop had burned in the 2014 Rising Eagle Fire. Over the past year, many landowners in that neighborhood were contacted and their properties evaluated for implementing cross-boundary prescribed burns. A 1.5 acre unit was selected as a demonstration to residents to increase their comfort levels with prescribed burning. Thus, in this special hands-on meeting of the PBA, the core PBA group performed the burn while the residents witnessed the briefing and preparations, and observed the early stages of implementation, their questions being answered by a PBA leader. When the fire had progressed to the center of the unit, participants were given the opportunity to gain some experience handling a drip torch and hoses. The residents were then involved in mop up and patrolling duties over the following days. During the debriefing, participants expressed their gratitude for what had been done, reflected on what they had learned, and were looking forw...

  After the successful Learn to Burn event near Tonasket in April, it was decided to provide an additional prescribed fire experience for that community to reinforce skills learned and increase people’s comfort with a full-size burn on 2.5 acres. Participants helped set up a progressive hose lay around the unit, were exposed to a full briefing explaining the challenges of burning in dry conditions, and gained experience handling drip torches and hoses during the burn. Mop up was then conducted and a debrief at the end of the day validated the participants’ experiences as they expressed their gratitude for everything they’d learn.

  More than 25 community members attended and took turns experiencing the different elements of implementing a burn under the supervision of an experienced burner. The burn was successfully completed, as well as mop-up. Patrolling occurred for several days until the fire was declared out. Community members expressed their gratitude for the work and were impressed by how safely the burn had been conducted.  

We've been monitoring the recovery of the sites of the three burns we completed since October and we're very happy with the results! In October 2024 we burned 1 acre that had lots of dead branches on the ground and old stumps. We had a good mosaic of some areas that burned very hot and others very lightly.   October 26, 2024 Admittedly, that unit didn't look as good as we were hoping in the early spring. While the adjacent unburned units were very lush, the burned one was slow to get started with quite a bit of bare ground showing.    May 10, 2025 But arnica eventually started popping up and we had thrown some yarrow seeds on the most severely burned patches (mainly from large stumps) and that's what you can see on the right side of the photos.   June 21, 2025   The yarrow is now growing abundantly and the arnica is still blooming despite having gone to seed weeks ago in the unburned units. We definitely overseeded the yarrow and some of it is starting to dry ou...

Earlier this week we had the chance to attend a flame cap kiln burn at Dan and Bethany's near Winthrop. Dan built the kiln and Bethany was kind enough to write up the process and take pictures:   Kiln Dimensions: Base: 47” X 47”, top: 59”X59”, height: 36”, 1.5” drain valve, approximately 350 gallons capacity (1.7 cubic yards), made out of 1/8” welded steel plate (locally cut in Twisp, WA and welded by landowner outside of Winthrop) designed by landowner based on Oregon Kiln design. Weather: light wind, about 50 degrees Process: We reviewed the weather conditions, forecast, and Dept of Ecology burn information to ensure conditions were acceptable for burning, and 4 people were present to load the kiln and monitor for embers. Safety precautions: We had 2 garden hoses. The kiln was in an open area on dirt. We also had tools available (shovels, rakes, and rogue hoe). We were watching for embers. initial loading of debris the day before burning   Timeline We had previously l...

The PBA conducted a 2-acre burn up Smith Canyon under ideal weather conditions. After the hose lay was completed around the hand lines we tested all the equipment and then proceeded with ignition and slowly progressed down the hill.  The ages of the participants ranged from 12 to 75 and the two teenagers got the hang of it very quickly and seemed to enjoy seeing how fire can be beneficial to the landscape.      After a couple of hours of burning, during which I think everyone got a turn putting fire on the ground, about 90% of the ground surface was charred. We had a good snack and then went back to mop up the smoldering stumps until all smoke had disappeared. Everyone had a big smile on their face and I think it was a very good day for all!    Now we wait for the next rain to see how fast the vegetation bounces back!    

  In October, NCPBA conducted a small, 0.8-acre prescribed burn on the de la Foret property. Favorable weather and fuel conditions aligned, creating ideal circumstances for a successful burn and provided abundant training opportunities. Participants gained hands-on training through live, on-site instruction from current and retired fire personnel. All phases of the burn—including preparation, ignition, holding, and mop-up—were demonstrated and discussed prior to execution. The location of this burn creates a black line for future planned burns, providing a buffer between national forest lands and private properties. This burned unit is one of four that, once completed, will help protect against potential wildfires spreading. The burn was made possible through key partnerships with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and the Washington Resource Conservation and Development Council, which provided the necessary tools and equipment for safe and effective prescribed bu...