This seems like the best place for this subject.

In that I do annual prescribed burns on my place, I decided to pursue certification as a Private Burn Manager. As luck would have it, a course was offered a short drive away and here I sit having passed it with only the need to complete the remainder of the required burns (30). I have 10 under my belt and the good thing is that the "boss" experience, five burns, will not be a problem as I've been the boss on all of them.

The day after the school completed I participated a large burn on the coastal prairie which was different for me as I limit mine to about 20 acres as I'm usually the only one on the burn. This was 700. Here are some pictures.

How expensive is the insurance these days?

Howdy!

I suspect insurance for a licensed commercial operator is expensive, but my interest is that of a Private license holder. If you have Texas Farm Bureau farm/ranch insurance, you are covered with insurance that meets the State Code. In fact, you can assist other landowners up to five times a year and they will cover you under the personal liability of your policy.

The reason for me pursuing certification is so that I can burn while my County is under a burn ban. It has not been an issue as of yet, but within the technicality of the State Code, I could be prevented from burning. What I have done to cover me to date is petition the County though it's Commissioners to allow me to burn during a ban. I submitted a typical burn plan, and a copy of my insurance coverage and my Commissioner said to call when I burn. I did that a couple of times, and he said I didn't need to call anymore. What is happening here is that I don't meet the State Code exemptions that would allow me to burn during a ban, but instead the County Judge through his Commissioners has granted me an exception to the burn ban.

That is now, you never know about later as Texas is changing. Just saw a statistic that 87% of our State's population lives in urban areas and 80% of agricultural lands in Texas are owned by only 1% of our State's population. You never know what is going to come down the road, but I've been watching the changes for that 1%, and it isn't good. Certification is just another thing in my toolbox.

The License (it's a "hater" tax) is high; $500 for two years, but I feel even with that, prescribed burns are the lowest cost way to impact your property for wildlife. Nothing else can get close in time or money. I know you get this, but others???

Burning through an approved Prescribed Burn Association is one way to do this, but the Association for our Counties is defunct because of the insurance cost.

That's awesome...congrats......

Fire is a management tool that is way underused.......

Nice pics....

So true Snake....

I've got a few plans in the works for our ranch. Definitely a great tool in the toolbox that many overlook.

Absolutely....helps mitigate the damage from uncontrolled wildfires......

That is what got me started years ago. Neighbor lit my place on fire with her wood burning stove. I decided to limit the fuel build through prescribed burning. When I witnessed the positive change to the habitat, I was sold.