Resources
How we educate?
Providing educational information about the use of prescribed fire as an ecosystem management tool is part of the purpose of the INPFC. Below you will find educational and training resources available from INPFC or other organizations.
Select a Resource
đź“„ Why Burn?
E-Fire – North Carolina State University Extension
This interactive site allows you to choose your own eFIRE experience! Become virtually immersed in a prescribed burn, learn why and how burns are conducted, read the provided resources, and/or hear from the multiple types of people who use prescribed fire as a land management tool!
Purdue FNR Extension – Wildlife Habitat Hints
The Purdue FNR Extension Wildlife Habitat Hints videos provide educational information related to a variety of wildlife habitat topics, including prescribed fire. The following videos are related to prescribed fire in Indiana.
(have to make playlist for this)
Iowa State Extension Prescribed Fire Resources
Iowa State Extension created several prescribed fire publications and videos that are freely available.
- Developing a Prescribed Fire Burn Plan: Elements & Considerations
- Considerations for Prescribed Burning: Tools and Safety Gear
- Considerations for Prescribed Burning: Timing a Prescribed Burn
- Smoke Management for Prescribed Burning: What to Consider
- Considerations for Prescribed Burning: Ignition Techniques
- Burning for oak regeneration
Oak Woodlands & Forests Fire Consortium Resources
The Oak Woodlands & Forests Fire Consortium is an exchange for fire science information. Funded by the Joint Fire Science Program, our goal is to increase the availability and consideration of credible fire science information to those making land management decisions.
Indiana Open Burning Law and Regulations (IC 13-17-9 & IAC 4-1)
One of the laws that governs prescribed fire in Indiana is the Open Burning Law administered by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. The applicable law can be found the Indiana Code 13-17-9. State open burning rules can be found in Indiana Administrative Code 326 IAC 4-1.
Section 2 of 326 IAC 4-1-2 states, “Open burning is prohibited except as allowed in this rule.”
Sec. 3. (a) IC 13-17-9 exempts certain types of open burning for maintenance purposes listed as follows: Section 3 lists the following exemptions:
- (1) A person may open burn the following:
- (A) Vegetation from any of the following:
- (i) A farm.
- (ii) An orchard.
- (iii) A nursery.
- (iv) A tree farm.
- (v) A cemetery
- (vi) A drainage ditch.
- (vii) Agricultural land, if the open burn occurs in an unincorporated area.
- (A) Vegetation from any of the following:
Section 4.1 lists open burning that may be authorized through the issuance of a permit, which includes prescribed fire. IDEM website states, “IDEM approval is required before prescribed burns, unless the burning is being conducted on properties owned by the IDNR, municipal or county governments, the US Department of Interior, the US Department of Agriculture, or the US Forest Service.
Burners must submit the following forms to IDEM for prior approval
Please complete and submit these forms at least 60 days before the anticipated burn date. Questions regarding IDEM approvals for prescribed fires can be sent to Brock Jones at BJones2@idem.in.gov.
More information about Indiana’s Open Burning Rules can be found on the IDEM open burning website.
Indiana Prescribed Burn Act (IC 14-23-6.6)
On July 1st, 2025, Indiana’s newly enacted law (IC 14-23-6.6) on prescribed burning took effect. This law does not affect landowners or current prescribed fire practitioners’ ability to execute prescribed burns, but it does offer incentives in the form of liability protection and other benefits for individuals who follow the standards of practice included in the law. The new law does the following:
- Preserves prescribed fire as a right of a landowner
- Sets the standards of practice for executing prescribed burns
- Authorizes the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to administer a Certified Prescribed Burn Manager Program (CPBM)
- Defines liability protections and other benefits for landowners or prescribed fire practitioners who follow the provisions of the law.
Standards of Practice for Prescribed Fire
Section 6 of the law defines the requirements landowners and prescribed fire practitioners must follow to take advantage of the liability protections and other incentives included in the law. Most of these requirements follow existing best practices everyone executing prescribed burns should already implement. These include:
- (1) obtaining the written consent of the landowner if someone other than the landowner is executing the prescribed burn;
- (2) having a prescribed burn plan prepared by a CPBM in a format approved by the Indiana DNR Division of Forestry;
- (3) notifying the nearest local fire department and county dispatcher or 911 dispatcher at least twenty-four (24) hours before the prescribed burn begins;
- (4) have at least one (1) CPBM on site while the prescribed burn is being executed; and
- (5) have a copy of the completed prescribed burn plan on site while the prescribed burn is taking place.
For more information on the new Indiana Prescribed Burn Law, please see the document below.
The following burn plan templates were created by the Indiana Prescribed Fire Council and follow all the requirements of a burn plan as defined by IC 14-23-6.6.