We’re getting ready for a Pleasant Bluff prescribed burn this spring!

We need volunteers to show up with brush-cutters, rakes, and backpack leaf blowers to help make the firebreak from the bluff’s ridgetop to the bottom of the bluff. If you don’t have brush blades for your trimmer, bring your string heads. And if you don’t have power tools, a wire or metal rake will be useful. If you don’t have any tools at all, we’ll have some rakes on hand you can use.

We’re getting pretty good at this, and we’ll be using a previous burn break, so it should go smoothly. That said, the site is steep. Please bring sturdy boots, gloves, a hat, ear and eye protection, whatever tools you have (with fuel) and some hydration for yourself. We are expecting to finish this work before noon. And if the weather prevents us from doing this work on the 11th, we’ll try again on the 12th.

If we get the firebreak constructed on the 11th, and the weather is suitable for a prescribed burn on the 12th, it is likely we’ll do the burn on the 12th. We’ll send out a separate announcement and recruitment email for the prescribed burn through the Southeast Minnesota prescribed burn Google Group, which is not officially connected to the Minnesota Driftless chapter of TPE. If you are not already a member of the Southeast Minnesota prescribed burn Google Group, and are interested in being added, please contact Gabe Ericksen (see Gabe’s email below) or Steve Winter (wintersl8944@gmail.com) directly and ask them to add you.

Prescribed burns at Pleasant Bluff are very well suited for learning the basics and people with all experience levels, or no experience, are welcome to participate. It would be best if participants can hike to the top of the bluff but people are also welcome to just watch from the bottom.

Please RSVP to Gabe Ericksen (gtericksen@gmail.com) if you are able to help out with the firebreak prep work, or if you have any questions. And it’s important for you to RSVP as opposed to just showing up, because if the plans change, people who RSVP’d will be notified of the change. Do not reply at this time about any potential prescribed burn.

Please park on the South side of Pleasant Ridge Road (facing east, uphill). Here is a link for directions:

https://goo.gl/maps/KfaDkpdrxq2cfvmu9