Prescribed fires are planned fires that only happen under specific, pre-determined conditions to reduce the risk of wildfire and restore or maintain ecological integrity in fire-adapted ecosystems. During the planning phase, Parks Canada fire management specialists create a ‘prescription’ or a pre-determined list of conditions that must be met before they can safely begin prescribed fire operations. They consider a wide range of conditions that could impact the fire, including the weather, plants in the area, expected fire behaviour, natural or manmade barriers that can contain the fire, like lakes, streams or roads, and the number of personnel required to safely complete the fire.
