Residents of Tift County who want to do some controlled burning on their land have a tool they can use to determine if it is safe to burn. The tool is called the KBDI Index.

To determine if it is safe to burn, forestry rangers use the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI). This index evaluates the effects of long-term drying on litter. It is based on a measurement of eight inches of available moisture in the upper soil levels. The measure is in hundredths of an inch of water and has a range of 0 through 800 — 0 being saturated and 800 being the worse drought conditions.

“For example, a KBDI of 300 would indicate a deficit of three inches of ground water available for vegetation,” Al Potts, chief ranger with the Georgia Forestry Commission, said. “The KBDI is a very useful tool for the potential burner. It will tell you exactly what to expect from a planned burn and what potential damages can result from a burn.”

On Tuesday, the KBDI for Tift County, which is located in District 9 of the Georgia Forestry Commission, was 490. The following chart explains what a KBDI number means:

• KBDI of 0 to 150 — Fuels/grounds are moist, ideal for winter or spring burns; heavy fuels don’t burn.

• KBDI of 150 to 300 — Pine/hardwood stumps ignite but seldom burn below surface; heavy fuels resist burning; fire behavior predictable.

• KBDI of 300 to 500 — Burn consumes most surface litter and there is significant loss in organic material; heavy fuels/stumps ignite readily; escaped fire is difficult to control.

• KBDI of 500 to 700 — All surface litter and most of the organic material is lost; dead snags ignite, dead limbs on trees ignite from sparks; stumps burn to end of roots; excessive site damage.

• KBDI of 700 plus — Many understory species contribute to fire activity acting as ladder fuels; extreme fire behavior; escape fires may become major problem; burning should be banned.

The KBDI index for each day is posted at the Georgia Forestry Commission’s Web site: www.gatrees.org.

“The Forestry Commission is very concerned with, not only potential deadly wildfires, but prescribed burners not being fully educated on the effects prolonged droughts have on fuels and soils,” said Potts.

Potts said that even though moisture recovery occurs nightly there is still an affect on the lighter, grassy type fuels. “Don’t be fooled by two inches of rain in one hour. One inch of rain over the span of six hours will have more of an effect on the KBDI than a lot of rain in a short period,” he said.

Another tool land owners can use is the National Fire Danger Rating System. This information is also available at the www.gatrees.org site.

Potts said, “In summary, utilize all the information available to you and make an informed decision about burning. Go to the commission’s Web site and find the Fire Danger Ratings, weather forecasts and other very useful information.” Potts added, “Be sure to keep an eye on KBDI!”



To contact reporter Jana Cone, call 382-4321, ext. 208.