What is the most difficult burn you have done? Tell us why it was difficult, what you did well, what you did that needed improvement and what you ultimately learned.
The most difficult burn that I have ever bossed was one at Savannas Preserve State Park (7,000-acre park in South Florida), in the portion close to downtown Jensen Beach. The burn unit is on the southern end of the park with a preschool and other smoke-sensitive areas to the south and east, meaning I had to burn the unit with a southeast wind.
This community has wood shake roofs, natural fuels in their yards and green spaces, wood siding and a sprinkler system that couldn’t be activated until nighttime (all mandated by the homeowners association).
Prior to the burn, we reduced the available fuel via mechanical treatment. We also had rather wide lines, but we were burning scrubby flatwoods with an unknown fire return interval and I was worried that an escape could potentially threaten this neighborhood. Oh, did I forget to mention that this neighborhood has only one way in and one way out?
We designed this burn for success, burning adjacent zones so we could concentrate on the backing fire along the boundary line and catching all spots quickly. On the day of the fire, we went slowly. We had all our resources on the fence line. We had folks in the neighborhood. We took it one little piece at a time. We didn’t have a single spot that day, and when all was said and done, the burn went off without a hitch.
The biggest thing I took from this burn is that just because something is difficult and truly scary - that isn’t an excuse not to do it. We can do things that are hard if we have the right people, the right weather, the right preparation, the right equipment and the right attitude.
What advice do you have for someone who is just starting out in the world of fire management?
The best piece of advice I can give someone starting out is to be a student of fire. Soak up all you can from those with more experience. Ask questions, especially when you aren’t on a fire. Ask someone to go over the engine with you, ask about possible tactics, how to handle a spot, or even what it is like to oversee a line or a burn. Seeing things from a different point of view can give a new person a greater appreciation for the big picture of fire.
Be humble. Be patient. Your time will come, but in the interim, learn all you can so you are ready when your shot arrives.
Is burning the only answer to maintaining a natural community?
The short answer is no. There are many pieces to the puzzle to maintain, enhance and restore natural communities. However, burning is often the most accessible tool to help maintain a natural community and it is the one tool we possess outright. Fire can be done in-house. We typically have the equipment; we have the training; we have the personnel and partners. Beyond that, all you need is desire. This is true for any tool we use consistently in maintaining a natural community.
What’s it’s like to be a successful female burn boss in a male-dominated field?
At this point in my career, I feel pretty good with what I know and what I am capable of doing. There is always more to learn and every burn is a teacher. The pressure to prove myself no longer exists.
I saw that in the women who did it before me and the women I see doing it now. I see leadership, skill and competency in those who are burn bosses, those who are line bosses and those who are just starting out. You are an inspiration for the future. You will help to silence the voices both within us and on the outside.
About the Author
Miranda Cunningham
Miranda Cunningham is the uplands restoration biologist in the District 5 administrative office. She has been with the Florida Park Service since 2001 when she started as a park ranger at Jonathan Dickinson State Park. She moved to the district office in 2005. She is the district fire coordinator and is one of the main burn bosses in the district, with more than 120 burns bossed and nearly 400 total burns.
Miranda organizes the wildfire strike teams for District 5 as well as participating on several of them. She also has organized and taught the District 5 annual basic fire management class since 2006 and RT130 classes.
She has taught at engine academy since 2006 and is one of two pack test administrators for the district.
Miranda is a mother to two young girls. Being a leader in a predominately male field is an important example she likes to set for them. She is thankful for those women who came before her and those currently in the field who continue to make her path easier.
About the Burn Boss Q&A Series
Florida’s state parks add tremendous value to Florida’s natural environment. The division’s burn bosses lead the efforts to implement fire plans in ecosystems that require fire for maximum health. This project highlights the diverse, balanced and quality professional workforce of burn bosses by having them share lessons learned with other staff members. Select staff were presented with 20 questions. They are asked to answer three to five of them.
