Muirburn

[Lolabelle]

Hello, I've just been having a look at some of the photos of Caithness and I saw a couple of shots of a "muirburn" what exactly is this? Is is a spring burn off, to prevent fires? We have to do that in the Australian bush. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated

[WeeBurd]

Yeah it's basically when farmers burn back the heather or the grass to encourage new shoots.

[ywindythesecond]

Hello, I've just been having a look at some of the photos of Caithness and I saw a couple of shots of a "muirburn" what exactly is this? Is is a spring burn off, to prevent fires? We have to do that in the Australian bush. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated

Lolabelle
Dont know exactly what you were looking at but burning here is not to prevent fire. On a grouse moor, the heather is burnt selectively to allow young shoots to grow for the grouse to feed on, but still leaving older growth for them to hide in.

[Lolabelle]

Thank you, I suppose the threat of bush fire is not as high as it is here in Australia.

[spurtle]

Hello, I've just been having a look at some of the photos of Caithness and I saw a couple of shots of a "muirburn" what exactly is this? Is is a spring burn off, to prevent fires? We have to do that in the Australian bush. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated

The aboriginal people odf Australia were experts in controlled burning - heavy restrictions in the practice have led, in many cases, to areas of unbridled growth, which present a much increased danger when accidental or deliberate fires are set.

It is no different here, and when controlled burning has been a feature over many years, it is easier to control both sorts of fire, although nothing is 100% with such a fickle phenomenon as fire.

Many Australian plants will not germinate in the absence of fire, and although our heather does regenerate from the existing root stock very quickly, if it is healthy, germination of seed can take some years UNLESS exposed to smoke, which accelerates the process.

[George Brims]

The risk is not as high Lolabelle, but it still exists. My dad once set a small fire to bring down a strip of very old woody heather, and the wind suddenly changed direction and increased in strength, driving the fire away ahead of us and out of control. It burned for several miles before the wind reversed again as evening fell, allowing the fire brigade and neighbours from other farms to get it under control.

[Lolabelle]

I had never really considered that Scotland would have a bush or heather fire problem. I always think of Scotland is wet and therefore not susceptable to fire. Just goes to show, learning every day.