Fire on the Forty Workshops
Fire on the Forty workshops provide an opportunity for landowners to learn about prescribed fire in a classroom setting, followed by a field exercise where landowners are given the opportunity to participate in an actual prescribed burn, weather
permitting. Workshops are organized by multiple partners and may be hosted at state owned facilities, such as Wildlife Management Areas, State Parks, and State Lakes, or even on private lands where possible. The Fire on the Forty steering committee works with the Mississippi Prescribed Fire Council to focus workshops within focal areas. However, workshops are also conducted outside of focal areas where landowner interest is high or logistics for conducting workshops are highly favorable.
The classroom session of the workshop covers fire weather, ignition and suppression techniques, prescribed burn planning, habitat management considerations, and information about fire liability and legal considerations. The field session includes hands-on instruction on pre-fire planning and communication, ignition and firing techniques, fire suppression, safety, and post-burn evaluations. Landowners are required to sign a liability waiver to participate in the field portion of the workshop. Landowners do not receive any type of certification by successfully completing a "Fire on the Forty" workshop, but prescribed burn manager certification is discussed and landowners are encouraged to peruse certification prior to conducting burns.
2024 Fire on the Forty Workshops
Fire on the Forty workshops for the spring of 2024 have not yet been scheduled.
To request a workshop in your area contact John Gruchy (john.gruchy@wfp.ms.gov). Continue below for information about previous workshops.
Past Fire on the Forty Workshops
Since 2012, 37 Fire on the Forty workshops have been conducted in 33 Mississippi counties reaching more than 1,200 landowners. Content for each workshop may vary based on available presenters as well as local burning opportunities. Some specific examples of past workshops are listed below:
- Charles Ray Nix WMA
- Marion County WMA
- Percy Quin State Park
