Spring wildflower bloom following a prescribed burn at Chisholm Trail Park on 11 January 2024. Note the proximity that the burn occurred in relation to the surrounding neighborhood.
Prescribed burns are implemented when conditions will allow smoke to rise without impacting traffic or the surrounding community. Note the observer on the roof ensuring the smoke does not impact traffic flow.
PARD has an agreement with Tarrant County College (TCC) Wildland Fire Program to provide TCC students with live fire experience on our prescribed burns in exchange for free seats in their courses. This burn at the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge provided training to firefighters from Coppell, Fort Worth, Kerrville, Montgomery County ESD#1, Pilot point, Lewisville, and Parker County ESD#1.
Prescribed burn at the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens on 18 December 2023 included staff from PARD, Fort Worth Fire Department, and Tarrant Regional Water District.
Areas treated with prescribed fire can appear black for a short period after a burn. However, new growth providing resources to wildlife will quickly appear.
Prescribed fire is just as important to our forests as it is our prairies. This site had so much leaf litter accumulation from a lack of fire that the herbaceous vegetation disappeared over time.