A maintenance burn is a generally a low to moderate intensity prescribed burn conducted after an initial fuels treatment. The objective of a maintenance burn is to maintain or enhance certain environmental conditions in a forest or grassland environment. In the absence of fire, forests have gradually changed composition to communities dominated by fire-intolerant species. Prescribed fire is increasingly used as a tool for ecological restoration and maintenance.
Source:Source Forest encyclopedia Network. 2011. Accessed on 12/14/2011. Available at: http://www.forestencyclopedia.net