Prescribed burn maintains ecosystem, mission flexibility

Flames spread during a prescribed burn Jan. 25 at White Point Recreation Area on the Eglin reservation in Florida. Prescribed fires maintain the base's ecosystem in its pristine state, reduce dangerous buildup of understory and enable maximum flexibility to conduct test and training missions without causing catastrophic wildfires.The Fire Management division here applies prescribed fire to an average of 90,000 acres annually. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ilka Cole)

Flames spread during a prescribed burn Jan. 25 at White Point Recreation Area on the Eglin reservation in Florida. Prescribed fires maintain the base's ecosystem in its pristine state, reduce dangerous buildup of understory and enable maximum flexibility to conduct test and training missions without causing catastrophic wildfires.The Fire Management division here applies prescribed fire to an average of 90,000 acres annually. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ilka Cole)

Air Force Civil Engineer Center wildland fire managers huddle to review a map during a prescribed burn Jan. 25 at White Point Recreation Area on the Eglin reservation in Florida. Prescribed fires maintain the base's ecosystem in its pristine state, reduce dangerous buildup of understory and enable maximum flexibility to conduct test and training missions without causing catastrophic wildfires.The Fire Management division here applies prescribed fire to an average of 90,000 acres annually. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ilka Cole)

A path of flames spreads during a prescribed burn Jan. 25 at White Point Recreation Area on the Eglin reservation in Florida. Prescribed fires maintain the base's ecosystem in its pristine state, reduce dangerous buildup of understory and enable maximum flexibility to conduct test and training missions without causing catastrophic wildfires.The Fire Management division here applies prescribed fire to an average of 90,000 acres annually. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ilka Cole)

Air Force Civil Engineer Center wildland fire managers walk through an access road during a prescribed burn Jan. 25 at White Point Recreation Area on the Eglin reservation in Florida. Prescribed fires maintain the base's ecosystem in its pristine state, reduce dangerous buildup of understory and enable maximum flexibility to conduct test and training missions without causing catastrophic wildfires.The Fire Management division here applies prescribed fire to an average of 90,000 acres annually. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ilka Cole)

Keith Hawk, an Air Force Civil Engineer Center prescribed fire specialist, radio communicates his position during a prescribed burn Jan. 25 at White Point Recreation Area on the Eglin reservation in Florida. Prescribed fires maintain the base's ecosystem in its pristine state, reduce dangerous buildup of understory and enable maximum flexibility to conduct test and training missions without causing catastrophic wildfires.The Fire Management division here applies prescribed fire to an average of 90,000 acres annually. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ilka Cole)

A warning sign is posted at the edge of the Eglin reservation during a prescribed burn at White Point Recreation Area in Florida.The 96th Civil Engineer Group's Fire Management division applies prescribed fire to an average of 90,000 acres annually. Prescribed fires maintain the base's ecosystem in its pristine state, reduce dangerous buildup of understory and enable maximum flexibility to conduct test and training missions without causing catastrophic wildfires.(U.S. Air Force photo/Ilka Cole)

Air Force Civil Engineer Center wildland fire managers monitor a prescribed burn Jan. 25 at White Point Recreation Area on the Eglin reservation in Florida. Prescribed fires maintain the base's ecosystem in its pristine state, reduce dangerous buildup of understory and enable maximum flexibility to conduct test and training missions without causing catastrophic wildfires.The Fire Management division here applies prescribed fire to an average of 90,000 acres annually.(U.S. Air Force photo/Ilka Cole)

Nathan Price, an Air Force Civil Engineer Center wildland fire management specialist, walks through an access road during a prescribed burn Jan. 25 at White Point Recreation Area on the Eglin reservation in Florida. Prescribed fires maintain the base's ecosystem in its pristine state, reduce dangerous buildup of understory and enable maximum flexibility to conduct test and training missions without causing catastrophic wildfires.The Fire Management division here applies prescribed fire to an average of 90,000 acres annually. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ilka Cole)