Annual prescribed burning is performed by the MNR, with the support of the BIA and both Montour and Tama/Toledo volunteer Fire Departments. Prescribed burning is done in carefully selected fields each year to promote healthy vegetation growth, to control unwanted vegetation and also the amounts of fuel present in order to reduce risk of wildfire. It is also used as a tool to prep fields for planting into native prairie. All MNR Wildland Fire equipment and staff time and training is funded through Meskwaki Nation and BIA grant monies.
Prescribed burning is performed carefully, taking into great consideration the air temperature, relative humidity and wind speed, along with the number of staff present, available volunteers and equipment resources. Firefighter, equipment and infrastructure safety are of greatest priority when burning. Mowed breaks, back burns, use of water and hand work are all carefully used to control the movement of a fire. MNR Land and Wildlife Coordinator Megan Volkens works diligently each year to protect the Land and infrastructure of the Meskwaki Nation when planning prescribed burns. The 2022 MNR Wildland Firefighters are Stacy Youngbear, MNR Land Specialist, Valentin Elsaesser, MNR Land Specialist, Thomas Peters, Conservation Aide, Alex Frankila, Environmental Technician with important support from Kane Youngbear, Conservation Aide, in field prep.
If you have an area that you would like burned this year, please reach out to Megan at [email protected] with a description of the location, contact information, and your house address. Requested areas are not guaranteed due to many factors that aid in the decision making process for which units to burn.
As a reminder: areas that include old vehicles, dump sites, unmowed grass around hazards such as propane tanks, garbage in tall grass, etc. will not be burnt due to safety hazards for the fire crew and the environment.
Please help us be proactive in keeping the environment clean!
~ MNR Staff
