Ring of Fire Demonstration at BLM King Range Station

A Fortuna CCC crew led by Brian Starks will be at the King Range BLM Station on Feb. 24 to make biochar with their Ring of Fire kiln, under direction of BLM Fire Management Officer Bryan Boatman. Gray Shaw of ISF and founder of Black Ripple will lead a public workshop about making and using biochar alongside the burn. This event is free to the public.

A worker from the California Conservation Corps loads the double-walled Ring of Fire Kiln, a portable biochar production machine. Photo: David Morell.

The Ring of Fire is a highly mobile kiln designed by Kelpie Wilson (Wilson Biochar) for making biochar wherever the biomass is located.

CHECK BACK HERE THE MORNING OF THE EVENT FOR A CANCELLATION NOTICE (see explanation below)

The purpose of event is:

• to explain biochar manufacture and use

• to explain biochar's ecological value

• to demonstrate the inherent low smoke emissions from

• a flame cap kiln

• a conservation burn, if time and resources allow

Intended result:

• agency and public support for making biochar instead of incineration, maceration, chipping, or lop and scatter

BLM's Bryan Boatman and his team will be in charge of ignitions, safety, and compliance under the Smoke Management Plan for the site. The CCC's Brian Starks will bring a Ring of Fire kiln and a crew to work under Bryan's direction.

Note: There is a chance that weather conditions will be out of SMP prescription, preventing the burn from happening. The decision to conduct the burn depends on meeting SMP prescription according to Bryan.

Gray will provide the narrative, lead discussion and take questions