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National Fire Plan Success Story

Cone Property Mowing Project and Wildfire Success Story
Duval County, Florida
Florida Division of Forestry
2008

Aerial photograph showing Cone Propert and the location of the wildfire.
Cone Property Mowed by Division of Forestry.

Lightly burned area.
Burned Area Meets Low Fuel Buffer Zone.

During a four-day period from April 8-13, 2003, the Florida Division of Forestry Region Two Wildfire Management Team conducted a wildfire hazard-reduction project on a 34-acre private property one mile west of the Town of Baldwin, Florida. The property owners had worked with the Division of Forestry previously to prescribe burn a 15-acre block north of the railroad tracks and wanted to treat the 34-acre block south of the tracks as well. Because the area is close to a major interstate, the vegetation was treated mechanically.

The vegetation in this plantation includes a mature slash pine canopy over a light to medium rough palmetto-gallberry understory scattered with grasses and young hardwoods. Using a Posi-Track with a rotary drum attachment, the Fire Management Team mowed a total of 10 acres. This project created a buffer zone encircling the block and working inward approximately 100 feet. Once completed, the project protected 72 structures valued at $4 million and at a cost of only $1,968.

On May 15, 2008, a small wildfire started at the railroad tracks transecting the Cone property. Workers had been grinding on the metal tracks and shortly after the work was complete, the fire was reported. The fire never had the opportunity to grow larger than one tenth of an acre due to the low fuel buildup resulting from both the mowing project five years earlier and the landowner’s commitment to maintaining the buffer zone.

The Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department was able to bring the small fire easily under control, very close to the railroad track from where it originated. Firefighters used a 4X4 brush truck to suppress the fire and Division of Forestry assistance was not necessary. Thanks to the hard work and foresight of local Division of Forestry personnel, a wildfire that could have done $4 million worth of damage was quickly brought under control without incident.

Contact: For more information on this project contact Annaleasa Winter at (904) 266-5008 or wintera@doacs.state.fl.us