Hog Island burn

[Mts83]

A few pics from the burn at Hog Island yesterday, between Lower Bank and Egg Harbor City. Thanks to a breakdown in communication this was first thought to be a plane crash, which caused a full emergency response with ambulances, news helicopters, and the coast guard etc... in reality though they were burning the phragmites after a previous burn was unsuccessful last week. These pics were taken from Clarks Landing and Galloway township.

More can be seen here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/22516573@N07/sets/72157615814934593/detail/
I'll upload a few more tomorrow.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22516573@N07/3385366451/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22516573@N07/3386176280/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22516573@N07/3386169648/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22516573@N07/3385355641/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22516573@N07/3386143436/

 

[pinelandpaddler]

Cool pics, Mike. When will these people realize that they can't just burn away the phragmites?

 

[DeepXplor]

burn

I think that the Phragmites will grow back They have a deep and extensive root system. I have them on my shore property and I have attemted to dig them out but a small root will grow into several plants.

 

[kayakmac]

I've seen them grow through asphalt. They had a partially sucessful burn several years ago at the base of Lower Bank bridge in Atlantic county. I don't know if they pre-treated the area with "Rodio" (a sleightly different formulation of "round-up"), but it stayed phragmitey phree :rofl: for several years. (maybe 10?) Now it's slowly growing back. I guess they need a really hot fire and low water table to eradicate them. It seems like there was more wildlife activity when the native species regained control of the area.

 

[HawkinNative]

All posts have been deleted

 

[maxwellandson]

That sounds like a pretty extensive breakdown of communications for that many responders to get it wrong. Any idea how a plane crash report started?

We actually had a tanker on stand by for this. I'm not sure how this miscommunication started but we where told It started with the state police.

 

[Boyd]

Great photos! I'm not real familiar with that area. If a "real" fire started there, what would it threaten? The photos make it look like the water would stop it anyway.

 

[pinelandpaddler]

Boyd, the purpose of the controlled burning is presumably to control (eradicate?) the phragmites on the island. However, fires have been observed to result in an increase in shoot densities. Supposedly, however, controlled-burning can be effective when the area is immediately flooded afterwards, or sprayed with herbicides. In any case, my understanding is that controlled-burning has been ineffective in controlling the phragmites populations that have invaded our South Jersey wetlands, so I really don't understand why they keep doing it. But perhaps there are some things I don't know about it...

 

[Boyd]

But perhaps there are some things I don't know about it...

Keeps the state workers employed...

 

[pinelandpaddler]

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/183/story/440727.html

Speak of the devil. Moths? Hmmmm...

 

[Mts83]

Thanks again guys, I added a few more pictures to my Flickr set here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/22516573@N07/sets/72157615814934593/detail/

Cool pics, Mike. When will these people realize that they can't just burn away the phragmites?

Thanks Gabe, yea really every year it seems like they try something else. And from your article... moths? I just hope there isn't an unforseen risk, introducing a non-native animal into an environment is always a risk. Who knows what else they may have an appetite for, perhaps even something endangered.

That sounds like a pretty extensive breakdown of communications for that many responders to get it wrong. Any idea how a plane crash report started?

I've heard the same as Chuck (maxwellandson) said, even from the scene itself blame was being spread around. Hay Rd was almost bumper to bumper at times with all kinds of emergency vehicles, Emergency Mgmt, Police, Fire etc... it really was a full response.

Great photos! I'm not real familiar with that area. If a "real" fire started there, what would it threaten? The photos make it look like the water would stop it anyway.

Thanks Boyd, As far as that area, it is very wet. If there were a "real" fire on the island it probably would remain contained as the water is relatively wide. If there were a fire in the marsh near where I took the pictures from it'd quickly become a problem as the forest line isn't far at all.

 

[kayakmac]

The report of the aircraft down may have come from reports of the NJFF chopper setting the fires originally. It tends to be low and circling when it does it's thing.

As to the moths in the article in the Press.... I tend to believe that there's Always something they have overlooked when they introduce a non-native species to help nature along. Sometimes, I suppose, they might get it right, but then again I've been known to be viewed as a cynic!

 

[lowerbankman]

I don't know how I could have missed the control burn, I can practically swim to swim to Hog Island from my house. Unfortunately I feel that a battle with the Phrag's is a lost cause, if you dig down just a foot into the marsh there are roots thicker then a man's arm, and that's only a foot down, imagine the complexity of things deeper still. That's a good article Gabe, researchers used to come to my house and talk with my dad, I can remember 9 or 10 years ago when people had the idea to genetically engineer a bug to eat the Phragmites but I still think any type of control with bugs is still a long ways away.

 

[Mts83]

I don't know how I could have missed the control burn, I can practically swim to swim to Hog Island from my house. Unfortunately I feel that a battle with the Phrag's is a lost cause, if you dig down just a foot into the marsh there are roots thicker then a man's arm, and that's only a foot down, imagine the complexity of things deeper still. That's a good article Gabe, researchers used to come to my house and talk with my dad, I can remember 9 or 10 years ago when people had the idea to genetically engineer a bug to eat the Phragmites but I still think any type of control with bugs is still a long ways away.

The burn itself was pretty much over by sunset. I could still see some residual smoke by that time, but for the most part it was out. I'd say it went on from around 3 to 7 PM. I took those pics between 4 and ~5:30.

I agree about the root system... with a root system that complex and that deep you'd need the fire to reach underground somehow. Doing what they're doing only reaches the surface, they'll be back sooner or later.