One_Leaf_At_A_Time_

How the burn is ignited affects how threatened animals will be. With most agencies I've worked for in the Southeast, we begin on one side of the unit and work 60-100ft at a time going back and forth, igniting across the unit, working into the wind, so that no animals get trapped inside. The have plenty of time to smell smoke and hear us coming

Here are some other resources that discuss impacts of prescribed fire on animals.
Research Brief: Direct and Indirect Effects of Fire on Eastern Box Turtles
Research Brief: The influence of prescribed fire on wild turkeys in the Southeastern United States: A review and synthesis
Podcast: Southern Fire Exchange Podcast “Friends of Fire” Episodes 2 & 3 “Wild Turkeys and Prescribed Fire”

The general consensus is that the landscape scale benefits of fire in terms of ecosystem maintenance and restoration far outweigh the loss on a few individuals. Many more animals would lose their homes and food sources without fire.

That being said: most animals are able to escape fires by either leaving the area, hiding in gopher tortoise burrows, and going up into trees.

Life With Fire podcast episode: Off Season Struggles - Understanding Wildland Firefighter Mental Health

Fire extinguisher! Which need to be checked on occasion (they do deteriorate in effectiveness over time) and replaced when needed.

What would you consider the coolest piece of fire history you found out from tree rings?

(from the Southern Fire Exchange LinkedIn page)