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A Prescribed and Controlled Burn

By Steve Nix, About.com

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A Prescribed and Controlled Burn - The Drip Torch

Drip Torch

Drip Torch

Photo by Steve Nix
Prescribed burns in the United States are often started and enlarged by dripping accelerant, called backfire fuel, and dripping fire from a backfire torch. The torch makes easy work by burning off of a plowed firebreak and back into the area where fire is desired. You want to burn off the firebreak to increase the distance of the unburnable "black" or charred area between fire and line.

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