The September Driptorch Digest is Now Available!

North Carolina State Extension Forestry just released a new video, "An Introduction to the Guidebook for Prescribed Burning in the Southern Region." As the title states, this video provides an introduction to the Guidebook for Prescribed Burning in the Southern Region, authored by Southern Regional Extension Forestry., North Carolina State Extension Forestry, and many others. The video provides an overview on the core action and informational chapters of the Guidebook. Those chapters include Getting Started, Planning the Burn, Conducting the Burn, Evaluating the Burn, Weather, Smoke Management, Fuel, and Fire Behavior.

The video is broken down by chapter so viewers can easily scroll directly to the exact sections they want to learn about. Whether you need a quick refresher on smoke management or an overview of burn evaluation, it offers a quick, accessible way to navigate the guidebook's key concepts.

Watch the overview video on YouTube and explore the complete guidebook to support your burn planning this season.

A simplified, clean-line illustration of a metal drip torch on a white background. The torch is shown at a slight angle, highlighting the cylindrical fuel tank, top handle, and the long spout with its distinctive pigtail loop leading to the igniter tip.

As hurricane season peaks in the Southeast, it’s important to remember how storm damage reshapes prescribed fire planning and wildfire risk. Hurricanes can leave behind heavy fuel loads such as downed trees, snapped branches, and tangled understory that increase fire intensity and complicate control. Saturated soils may delay equipment access, while leaning or storm-weakened trees pose hazards to crews.

Before starting a burn, assess post-storm conditions carefully. Adjust prescriptions to account for heavier fuels, reduce ignition areas if needed, and prioritize debris removal in high-risk zones. A thoughtful approach after hurricanes ensures prescribed fire continues to reduce risk while restoring resilience.

Check out these resources to guide your planning:

Monthly Update for Prescribed Burn Associations in the Southeast

North Carolina now has a Prescribed Burn Association YouTube channel! On this channel, viewers can access webinar recordings, meeting archives, and educational resources from PBAs across North Carolina. The channel serves as a "one-stop shop" for both active PBA members and anyone interested in starting a local burn association. Subscribe to this channel to receive updates on the newest videos and resources.

For more resources on PBAs, please visit the Southeast Prescribed Fire Update website, under the "Prescribed Burn Associations" tab.

The Society of American Foresters (SAF) has issued an updated position statement titled "Use of Prescribed Fire in Forest Management," affirming and clarifying its support for expanding prescribed fire across public and private lands. The statement highlights prescribed burning as an essential forest management tool for mitigating wildfire risks, facilitating ecological restoration, and maintaining resilient forest ecosystems. To ensure long-term success and safety, SAF advocates for increased research, workforce development, and federal funding, alongside rigorous planning by trained professionals.

In North Carolina's Sandhills region, fire management crews are using innovative drone technology alongside traditional methods to execute prescribed burns. Led by The Nature Conservancy and Burn Boss Alan Teed, these operations leverage aerial ignition to safely restore and maintain the native longleaf pine ecosystem. By integrating drone technology into prescribed fire practices, land managers can efficiently apply fire to hard-to-reach areas while reducing risks to ground crews.

Scouting America has officially introduced the new Wildland Fire Management Merit Badge, announced during the 2026 National Jamboree. Designed to educate the next generation of land stewards, the badge teaches youth the fundamentals of fire ecology, safe prescribed fire practices, and wildfire prevention strategies. The program emphasizes the critical role controlled burning plays in maintaining healthy ecosystems while introducing Scouts to career pathways in forestry and natural resource management.

The U.S. Forest Service has announced action to roll back the national 2001 Roadless Rule restrictions in national forests to help address escalating wildfire risks across the country. The policy shift aims to streamline hazardous fuels management and forest health projects by allowing forest managers easier access to conduct critical vegetation management and prescribed fire operations in vulnerable areas. Proponents emphasize that reducing these administrative barriers will improve forest resilience, protect neighboring communities, and enhance safety for firefighting crews. Opponents of the rule argue that studies show that roads have increased wildfire ignitions.

The Southern Fire Exchange has released a new series on its "Friends of Fire" podcast. This new series, titled "Ft. Stewart '25", follows SFE Outreach Specialist Christian Fernandez as he attends the 2025 Fort Stewart Research Campaign and explores the collaboration and co-production of fire science and management. Through conversations with fire scientists, managers, and practitioners, Christian demonstrates the importance of a campaign like the 2025 Fort Stewart Campaign to bring people together and develop tools for wildland fire management. Check out the first three episodes!

Multiple NRCS Funding Programs

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service offers several funding programs that may be used to support prescribed burning. Many private landowners in the South have already taken advantage of these programs but this year there may be more funding available than in previous years. Programs vary by area, so check out the information pages listed below:
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP)

Multiple Joint Fire Science Program Funding Accouncements

The Joint Fire Science Program is offering several funding programs that may be used to support prescribed burning and fire science in the Southeast.

Requests for proposals vary in their subject area:

Fire Leaders and Managers, Emerging Scientists (FLAMES)
Drivers of changing wildfire regimes and consequences for wildfire risk factors
Smoke impacts from prescribed fire and wildfire
Regional Fire Science Exchange

Application deadline: September 17, 2026

N.C. Forest Service Disaster Mitigation Program

The N.C. Forest Service is accepting applications through its new Disaster Mitigation Program to assist public and private landowners in reducing heightened wildfire risks across 39 counties impacted by Hurricane Helene. Funded by a grant from the USDA Forest Service, this program aims to lower the risk of catastrophic wildfire impacts to homes, infrastructure, and natural resources by targeting hazardous fuel buildup and fallen timber at no cost to the landowner.

Funding available for:

Hazard reduction prescribed burning
Home ignition zone treatments (defensible space creation)
Fuel break and road restoration to reopen emergency access routes

Application deadline: Ongoing until funds are fully exhausted

The Driptorch Digest is distributed by NC State University as a project of the Southeast Regional Partnership for Planning and Sustainability (SERPPAS) Prescribed Fire Working Group.

NC State University promotes equal opportunity and prohibits discrimination and harassment based upon one’s race; color; religion (including belief and non-belief); sex, including but not limited to pregnancy, childbirth, or other related medical condition, parenting, and sexual harassment; sexual orientation; actual or perceived gender identity; age; national origin; disability; veteran status; or genetic information.

This newsletter is made possible through a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, with support from the USDA Forest Service and the Department of Defense.