By Jessica Crabtree

Fire is seen as a universal enemy. It can be a wild, unpredictable entity that is capable of insurmountable destruction that causes fear among its onlookers. All of this is true in the case of wild fires and civilians. However, in the right hands, fire can be contained and/or controlled. It can even be used as a tool to benefit the land, cattle grazing the land and wildlife making their habitats from the land.

Shane Beavers has 25 years of experience fighting fire as well as leading fires during prescribed burns. With that, Beavers has become a prescribed burn advocate, wanting to educate the public on its benefits. With an engineering degree and a background operating heavy machinery, the third generation dirt mover and dozer operator combined his love and know-how to become first a Fire Prevention Officer with the United States Forest Service. From there, Beavers’ resumé grew, earning him numerous other titles and allowed the Bowie resident opportunities to fight fire in most of the United States. Through Beavers’ various positions, each allowed him ample training, opportunity to train others as well as learn from what he calls “some of the smartest people.” That means analyists, meteorologists, horticulturists, fire ecologist and more who all play roles during a wildfire as various organizations that band together in order to orchestrate a plan, execute it and contain a wildfire. The USDA Forest Service, federal, tribal, state and local government agencies all work together, responding to thousands of wildfires per year.

That entails weather patterns, wind speed, identifying vegetation adding fuel to a fire, structures, other potential hazards and more. This is a minor description of the efforts these folks go through. For Beavers, he has witnessed fire and fought it by crews afoot, by engine, by dozer and by aircraft. With all his experience fighting fire, one may ask why he would ever want to ignite a fire.

Whether fighting a wildfire or working on acreage for a prescribed burn, Beavers shared there are the same principles; however, there is no urgency with a prescribed burn. “With a prescribed burn you plan everything in advance,” Beavers elaborated, “You secure all your resources and make proper security arrangements such as fire lines of adequate size for what fuels and vegetation you’re burning.” Beavers said doing a prescribed burn is actually one of the cheapest tools to grazing livestock management practices as well as wildlife habitat management, foresters, park departments, ranchers, landowners and range managers under specific and safe conditions as to restore a balance to nature.

Here Beavers is shown working a fire. Beavers is a Type 2 Burn Boss and owner/operator of Beaver Dozer. He is an advocate for prescribed burning and the benefits to grazing range, wildlife habitats, residential areas and more. (Courtesy photo)