September 25, 2008 'Pyro diversity is bio-diversity' Play video

(NECN: Amy Sinclair, York, Maine) - Firefighters usually try to put out fires, but yesterday, they actually set one in a forest in York County, Maine.

Waterboro Barrens is home to pristine ponds, boreal pine barrens and many rare plants and animals. Using drip torches filled with a gas/diesel blend, firefighters set 20 acres on fire.

The preserve is owned and managed by the Nature Conservancy and fire, when it's controlled, is a useful land management tool.

These so-called "prescribed burns" help get rid of the dry, highly flammable understory and provide firebreaks between the preserve and neighbors, which in this case is right across the street from Steve Patterson's house.

"It's nice to know they do research. It would be a bummer to come home and have your house burnt down," said Patterson.

The firefighters, most of whom are also biologists, take every precaution. They check the wind speed, direction and relative humidity every hour and have water at the ready in case flames jump the fire lines. This particular forest, filled with pitch pine and scrub oak, actually thrives after periodic fires.

Fire scientists have a saying: Pyro diversity is bio-diversity, which means they want different levels of fire to create different habitats for plants and animals.

And, fires actually help re-energize both soil and plants that survive the burns, taking the best of what Mother Nature has to offer, without letting her run wild.