Fermilab Roads and Grounds conducts a prairie burn inside the Main Injector on March 5. The trees on the right side of the plume are 20-plus feet tall.
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Fermilab Roads and Grounds personnel burn Prairie Plot 12 inside the Main Injector.
Unusual December weather this past week has allowed the Roads and Grounds Group and the Ecology Group to conduct three large prescribed burns safely in the Main Ring, totaling 342.7 acres.
Fire protection systems are in place for two purposes: to help protect Fermilab property, and, more importantly, to help protect the people at Fermilab.
Ryan Campbell (left) and Martin Valenzuela tend to a controlled burn at the Pine Street entrance.
This photo of a landscape after a prairie burn was taken near the MINOS building.
On Nov. 28 and 29, warmer dry weather allowed the Roads and Grounds Department to conduct prescribed burns in prioritized prairie and woodland areas. More are planned with current weather conditions continuing into the week of Dec. 4.
A fire gremlin gives Fermilab a final farewell for spring 2016 during the final prescribed burn for the season, which took place on April 18. Even a small burn can be very hot. Good planning is essential to a safe burn. Fermilab Roads and Grounds conducted 16 prairie burn events totaling about 407 acres. In so doing, they completed 90 percent of their projected burn plan for last fall and this spring.
A controlled prairie burn takes place near Pine Street.
Controlled burns help restore the natural prairie habitat.