Weighting & Considerations for Burn Tract Selection
Our PBA pools resources to facilitate as much prescribed fire as possible in our service area. Like any responsible organization, we must use these limited resources responsibly, equitably, and efficiently.
We strive to help underserved landowners and those with relatively small tracts affordably use prescribed fire to achieve their land management goals.
Please review the information on this page for a better understanding of how our PBA scores and prioritizes burns and how you, as a landowner, can bring your burn closer to fruition.
Core Requirements
Landowner is a Member
Tracts are in CAPBA Area
We serve members in the following Alabama counties:
Autauga,
Bibb,
Chambers,
Chilton,
Clay,
Coosa,
Dallas,
Elmore,
Greene,
Hale,
Lee,
Lowndes,
Macon,
Montgomery,
Perry,
Pickens,
Randolph
Shelby,
Sumter,
Talladega,
Tallapoosa,
Tuscaloosa,
Additional Scoring Factors
Member Burn Assists
Landowner members who have participated in 2, 3, 4+ burn projects on other member lands receive additional points towards their burn project.
Hazard Fuel Reduction
Projects with a 4+ year rough that need prescribed fire to assist in hazard fuel reduction are weighted favorably in the scoring.
Tracts Under 80 Acres
Our focus on serving small tract and under served landowners guides us to weight burn units under 80 acres more heavily than large tracts that are favored by for-profit burn crews.
1st Longleaf Burn
Projects that are the first burn of a 2-3 year old Longleaf Pine planting are given additional priority.
Multiple Landowners in Burn Unit
In addition to consolodating fire lines, serving multiple land owners with a single burn improves NRCS burn funding opportunities. Projects where adjacent landowners can be included are scored more highly.
Land Actively Managed
Land is under some form of active management.
VFD Involvement
Whenever a landowner can get the local volunteer fire department involved directly or indirectly we can cut costs and award the project a higher score.
Wind Independence
Points for wind direction independence will be awarded according to whether the project can be safely done with a single wind direction, several directions, or any direction. The more favorable wind directions for the burn, the more feasible and higher scoring the burn project.
Learn & Burn Event
Projects that can serve as a learn and burn event for public outreach and burn manager training are given favorable scoring.
Fire Return Maintenance Burns
Performing maintenance burns at 2-3 year fire return intervals is important to maintaining healthy fire-maintained habitat.
Favorable Unit Configuration
Burn unit configuration creates less constructed line, improves efficiency or reduces complexity.
