A controlled burn was conducted by members of UNI’s Tallgrass Prairie Center (TPC) last week Tuesday on a roughly 20 acre tract of the Irvine Prairie as part of ongoing restorative work at the rural Dysart prairie-in-progress.

After having to reschedule a couple of times due to poor weather conditions including intense spring winds, the burn took place amid almost perfect conditions, according to TPC Director Dr. Laura Jackson who was on-site during the burn.

Winds were around 10 mph and out of the northeast just after 12:30 p.m. when TPC staff stationed along fire breaks to the west and south lit the prairie ablaze.

The section burned this year was planted in 2020 and is part of Cathy Irvine’s initial gift to TPC and the people of Iowa.

While the winds ebbed and flowed on Tuesday, two separate sections of fire gradually crept up the hill toward 55th Street, eventually meeting in a fiery fugue.

As the west side burn rounded ‘portapotty point’ near the preserve’s entrance, a flurry of male ring-necked pheasants – which had been slowly pushed undetected through the grasses by the encroaching fire – exploded into the air in a feathery inferno of their own near plant materials program manager Laura Fischer Walter who had been operating a drip torch.

At its peak, the fire’s heat could be felt from the opposite side of 55th Street. In its wake, a blackened scar remained with a few hotspots persisting in places.

Admiral butterflies continued to flit about on the burn’s perimeter seemingly unperturbed as they visited nearby dandelion blooms – quite possibly anticipating the explosion of growth that will now take place from the ashes in the weeks ahead.

Irvine Prairie is located on the farm of rural Dysart conservationist Cathy Irvine. The land was donated to TPC in 2018 in memory of her husband David. To find Irvine Prairie, navigate to 1173 55th Street, Dysart. Park on the south side of the road in the grass, near the stone marker.