Section 1536.60  Permanent Firebreaks for Management and Protection of Forests

The purpose of this practice is to provide a practical and low cost way of affording protection to forests from damage by wildfire and to facilitate the use of prescribed fire as a management tool.

a)         Firebreak Construction.  The flat rate payment for this practice is $200 plus $4 per rod.  The base cost for this practice is $267 plus $5 per rod.

b)         Firebreaks shall be cleared to a minimum of 1 rod in width.  Place firebreaks on the contour, where possible.

c)         Drainage structures shall be installed according to Table 5.1 in the Illinois publication Forestry Best Management Practices (available on the internet from the University of Illinois (web.extension.illinois.edu/forestry/timber_harvest/

il_forestry_bmps_2007.pdf), Southern Illinois University (mypage.siu.edu/

eholzmue/index_files/ilbmp.pdf) or from IDNR, Division of Forestry Resources, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield IL 62702; June 2007) when the grade exceeds 5%.

d)         Firebreaks shall be permanent and shall be established and maintained by one of the following methods, assuring cleared functional width is maintained.

1)         Disk at least twice annually to keep vegetation from accumulating as fuel or as otherwise detailed in the Plan.

2)         Establish and maintain by mowing a cover crop of cool season grass, clover or cereal grain.  Vegetation must be maintained at a height less than 12 inches.

(Source:  Amended at 41 Ill. Reg. 4272, effective March 31, 2017)