​Burn Ban Lifted

The burn ban issued on Oct. 26 by the Governor’s office has been cancelled. Recent rains have started to replenish the water table and lessen dry forest conditions. While the ban has been lifted, caution should always be exercised.

Please remember that campfires off of leaseholds may only occur in approved fire rings. The locations of those rings can be found at http://www.sewanee.edu/offices/oess/the-domain/rec...

Fires on leaseholds are subject to state burn regulations and may require a permit. State permits can be applied for online at https://agriculture.tn.gov/OnlineBurnPermitPublic/default.aspx>

What We Learned from the Tennessee Fires
While Sewanee was spared the devastation from recent forest fires in the state, many residents have been wondering whether something similar could happen in Sewanee. The answer is yes. First, a very brief forest history, and then some tips for minimizing the risk of wildfire.
The oak hickory forests that dominate our campus and surrounding Domain do burn from time to time. In fact, many scientists and land managers feel that they require periodic fire for their establishment, and without continued periodic fire, they are likely to decline.
According to the United States Forest Service, the forests of the Cumberland Plateau, like the Smoky Mountain forests to our east, are thought to have burned every 2-14 years between the late 1700s and the early 1900s. Some charcoal fragments found in Appalachian soils have been dated to fires 3,000 years ago. These periodic fires favored many of the species that we see today in and around our homes here in Sewanee.
During the early 1900s, fire suppression greatly reduced the number of fires in our forest. Without these fires, leaves combine with fallen limbs and dry grasses and accumulate in the forest. Over time as these fuels accumulate, the forest composition shifts toward species that are less able to tolerate periodic fire. On Sewanee’s Domain, it is likely that you have seen or smelled a prescribed fire in the last several years. Several faculty members research the role of historic fire in the creation of our forests, and periodically conduct a controlled (formally known as a prescribed) fire to reduce our wildfire risk and perpetuate our current forests for future generations.
A prescribed fire is generally not feasible however near homes and businesses, and in many parts of the community of Sewanee. Similar to Gatlinburg, Sewanee’s homes and businesses are built within a matrix of forest that is by nature meant to burn. To minimize our risk of such a devastating natural phenomenon, there are many things that we as a community of homeowners and business owners can do. Here’s how we all can help.
Adhere to the fire ban and alert the police if you hear, smell, or see any questionable activity.
For homeowners: clear needles, leaves, and other debris from the roof, gutters, eaves, porches, and decks. This reduces the chance of embers igniting your home.
To reduce ember penetration, replace or repair loose or missing roof shingles or tiles, and caulk any gaps or openings on roof edges.
Cover exterior attic vents, and enclose under-eave and soffit vents with metal wire mesh no larger than ⅛-inch to prevent embers from entering the home.
Remove items stored under decks or porches; for more protection, owners can replace vegetation in these areas with rock or gravel.
Remove flammable items within 30 feet of all structures, including firewood piles, portable propane tanks, and dry and dead vegetation.
Dry grass and shrubs are fuel for wildfire, so keep your lawn hydrated and maintained. If it is brown, trim it to reduce fire intensity, and don’t let debris and lawn cuttings linger. Dispose of these items quickly to reduce fuel for fire.
Fire can spread to tree tops. If you have tall trees on your property, prune low-hanging branches 6 to 10 feet from the ground; for smaller trees, prune low-hanging branches up to a third of the tree’s height. Remove tall grasses, vines, and shrubs from under trees.
Avoid placing dry wood against your home.
Lastly, if any of us were to be in close proximity to a fire, please communicate to the appropriate authorities, namely the police and to your family, that you are safe and clear from the danger, especially if you are visiting family or on vacation.
Unlike many areas of the state, the Domain contains many fire lanes built for prescribed fire and control of any wildfire outbreak that might occur. Sewanee maintains a crew of certified wildland firefighting students that reduce fuel loading in our forests with regular fire prescriptions and stand ready to serve if a wildfire were to occur. On top of all this, Sewanee is blessed with a well-equipped and trained Volunteer Fire Department.
Other strengths of our community include the University’s emergency measures that would be enacted if necessary, for example, evacuation plans, partnerships with local agencies for support, and a close network of health professionals and services in the area. Our regional medical hospital system (STRHS) has a network of medical professionals who already serve our emergency needs quite well. Finally, we also have redundant water supply systems as part of our utility infrastructure—another reason to be grateful to our Sewanee Utility District.
—reported by Eric Hartman. Special thanks to Ben Beavers, Nate Wilson and Ken Smith for their contribution to this.
2024 April
2024 March
2024 February
2024 January
2023 December
2023 November
2023 October
2023 September
2023 August
2023 July
2023 June
2023 May
2023 April
2023 March
2023 February
2023 January
2022 December
2022 November
2022 October
2022 September
2022 August
2022 July
2022 June
2022 May
2022 April
2022 March
2022 February
2022 January
2021 December
2021 November
2021 October
2021 September
2021 August
2021 July
2021 June
2021 May
2021 April
2021 March
2021 February
2021 January
2020 December
2020 November
2020 October
2020 September
2020 August
2020 July
2020 June
2020 May
2020 April
2020 March
2020 February
2020 January
2019 December
2019 November
2019 October
2019 September
2019 August
2019 July
2019 June
2019 May
2019 April
2019 March
2019 February
2019 January
2018 December
2018 November
2018 October
2018 September
2018 August
2018 July
2018 June
2018 May
2018 April
2018 March
2018 February
2018 January
2017 December
2017 November
2017 October
2017 September
2017 August
2017 July
2017 June
2017 May
2017 April
2017 March
2017 February
2017 January
2016 December
2016 November
2016 October
2016 September
2016 August
2016 July
2016 June
2016 May
2016 April
2016 March
2016 February
2016 January
2015 December
2015 November
2015 October
2015 September
2015 August
2015 July
2015 June
2015 May
2015 April
2015 March
2015 February
2015 January
2014 December
2014 November
2014 October
2014 September
2014 August
2014 July
2014 June
2014 May
2014 April
2014 March
2014 February
2014 January
2013 December
2013 November
2013 October
2013 September
2013 August
2013 July
2013 June
2013 May
2013 April
2013 March
2013 February
2013 January
2012 December
2012 November
2012 October
2012 September
2012 August
2012 July
2012 June
2012 May
2012 April
2012 March
2012 February
2012 January
2011 December
2011 November
2011 October
2011 September
2011 August
2011 July
2011 June
2011 May
2011 April
2011 March
2011 February
2011 January
2010 December
2010 November
2010 October
2010 September
2010 August
2010 July
2010 June
2010 May