Spring Burning In The Flinthills (Emporia, Junction City: allergies, live in, authority)

[AnywhereElse]

Anyone that might travel through the state in March/April of each year should be aware of the health advisory concerning the burning of the fields, especially in the Flint Hills, although I have found with the wind, it can travel quite some distance with smoke and other pollutants in the air:

https://jcpost.com/posts/0c896068-b5...6-784357e15f2d

"Prescribed burns release large amounts of particulate matter and other pollutants that can form ozone. Particulate matter and ozone can cause health problems, even in healthy individuals. Common health problems include burning eyes, runny nose, coughing, and illnesses such as bronchitis. Individuals with respiratory issues, pre-existing heart or lung diseases, children and elderly are more vulnerable to experience symptoms."

Even though now we live a distance from the actual burning, we do have others that burn. It irritates one's lungs and eyes for the most part. I grim welcome to spring.

[GraniteStater]

Another ridiculously wasteful use of resources, it would need far less burning if we had mostly bison on that range land that managed the grasses in a better matter in the Flint Hills, and NOT cattle. Yet another in a long line of reasons to be more vegetarian or vegan overall.

[Okey Dokie]

“Do Not Drive Into Smoke” - Kansas Turnpike Authority

[saltine]

Affecting people 100s of miles away. Thanks

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by saltine

Affecting people 100s of miles away. Thanks

It's a very stupid practice as it impacts a large geographical area and population, but it won't change until bison take back the area from the cattle. In the near-term in Flint Hills region that seems unlikely as a large percentage of landowners are absentee that live in other areas of the country. What will be happening is the Ogallala Aquifer collapse and near constant levels of drought, due to warming temperatures yielding higher evaporation of soil moisture out of the ground in the High Plains region of Kansas, will reduce the number of cattle over time.

[AnywhereElse]

Last week was terrible. Everyone was sick from it, as they were burning out on the edge of town near I-70. I cannot imagine having to take the winding narrow road out to the other areas of the county, as the narrow road allows for very little error.

I don't know why they do it. I have never understood it. It was bad in Emporia too, as they burned that Tallgrass Prairie area every spring just as the weather was finally nice enough to be outside or open the windows. The other day, the wind was really bad blowing toward town, and they were burning away.

My time here grows short as does my patience!

[GraniteStater]

"Every spring, the Flint Hills of Kansas are burned as a management tool to prevent invasion of woody vegetation and promote new growth of native grasses. Burning is a part of the natural ecosystem of the prairie and is essential to maintaining the prairie ecosystem."

"In a typical year, ranchers annually burn thousands of acres of grassland in the Flint Hills to reduce the abundance of undesirable trees and shrubs while promoting nutritionally rich grass for that summer's grazing. Burning in the Flint Hills is typically concentrated in late April."

https://www.thunderheadeng.com/news/...-hills-prairie

[AnywhereElse]

I guess that means it will get worse. The only thing is "summer's grazing", as we have driven from Emporia to Junction City thru the backroads, and saw very little grazing of anything. I don't know, making people sick, and some quite sick so a handful of cattle can graze several acres............maybe they can call the allergies COVID and shut down the state again!

[saltine]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

"Every spring, the Flint Hills of Kansas are burned as a management tool to prevent invasion of woody vegetation and promote new growth of native grasses. Burning is a part of the natural ecosystem of the prairie and is essential to maintaining the prairie ecosystem."

"In a typical year, ranchers annually burn thousands of acres of grassland in the Flint Hills to reduce the abundance of undesirable trees and shrubs while promoting nutritionally rich grass for that summer's grazing. Burning in the Flint Hills is typically concentrated in late April."

https://www.thunderheadeng.com/news/...-hills-prairie

Not altogether natural

[pinebluestem]

If only most of you understand the benefits of burning and why.