Welcome to the "Smoke and Sound" portion of our website. This new area on our site is our effort to communicate with those of you who live on or near Fort Benning - the where, when and why behind the training we conduct here and the prescribed burns we must do.
It is important everyone understands the value of these activities. Yes, they can be a nuisance - loud sounds when you may be trying to sleep, or smoke that can make your eyes water - but, let me assure you, both of these activities are vital to the success of our Soldiers, to their defense of our nation and to the good stewardship of our installation's natural resources.
Colonel Jeffrey Fletcher
Garrison Commander
Fort Benning, GA
Why the Smoke?
The smoke comes from planned, prescribed burning at Fort Benning that is vital to ensure we mitigate the danger of uncontrolled wildfires. In other words, we burn scrub and unwanted brush on our terms instead of letting it become a hazard that could destroy precious natural resources or even cause the loss of life.
Do we have to do it? Yes, because prescribed burning is a responsibility of our installation leaders to ensure we mitigate the wildfire threat. If left unchecked, the naturally occurring accumulation of scrub and brush is a real threat.
As our Nation has learned in the 236 years of this Army's existence, with all things there is a cost. There is always a shared sacrifice whether you serve, your son or daughter serves or your neighbor serves. The smoke from planned prescribed burns and the sounds from our training impacts us all, both on and off the installation. Hopefully, through better communication, we can all carry this burden together. Thank you in advance for your understanding and continued outstanding support of Fort Benning's Soldiers and the Army's Maneuver Center of Excellence.
The land management branch currently conducts prescribed burning on approximately 30,000 acres per year. The following describes why, what, when, where, and how the burning is accomplished.
Why we burn:
In September 1994, Fort Benning received a biological opinion from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. One of the reasonable and prudent alternatives in the opinion was prescribed burning the upland forests using a three-year prescribed burning cycle, approximately 30,000 acres annually.
Fuel reduction: Prescribed burning is an effective and efficient means to reduce or prevent the accumulation of unsafe amounts of fuels and vegetative debris. Without frequent fires , fuels will build up making suppression efforts dangerous and difficult. The accumulation of unsafe amounts of fuels could lead to catastrophic fires similar to those experienced out west and in South Georgia.
What we burn:
Training compartments are identified and divided into three yearly groups, based on management needs and requirements. This results in approximately 120 burn units per year, which averages 250 acres in size.
Burn preparation: Prior to executing a prescribed burn, a burn folder is prepared for the area to be burned. This folder consists of a burn plan, photo copy of the burn area, coordination check list. Georgia Forestry Commission fire weather forecast. filed weather reading form, smoke screening form, and smoke screening map. All smoke sensitive areas (SSA) such as highways, schools, hospitals, homes, offices, etc., are identified within the smoke impact distance and a wind direction is identified that will keep smoke on the reservation.
When we burn:
Prescribed burning is conducted year round with 80-82 percent of our planned burning occurring between 1 January and 30 April.
Execution: Depending on the dew/frost and humidity, burning may start as early as 10:00 a.m. Burning is completed by 3:00 p.m. to allow time for smoke to disperse. The goal is to complete smoke dispersion prior to dusk when visibility may become a problem.
Telephone/electronic mail notifications: An established list of community leaders from Fort Benning, the City of Columbus, and surrounding communities are notified by telephone and/or electronic mail each morning that a prescribed burn is planned to occur. Notification includes a map of where the burn will occur and the predicted wind direction for that day.
Sound Off!
In the Chattahoochee Valley, we are trying to break down the perceived barriers to Fort Benning. This website is an effort to improve the communication and awareness of both smoke and sounds created by our activities that may impact the lives of our neighbors.
Your opinions and comments are very important to Fort Benning's leadership. Click here to send us a note. Every email will be read and forwarded to the appropriate agencies for consideration or action.
Why the Loud Sounds?
As the home of our Army's Maneuver Center of Excellence, Fort Benning is now the focal point for preparing Armor, Cavalry and Infantry Soldiers to fight and win the wars of our nation. Therefore, the sounds you hear in the distance from time-to-time, are actually the sound of America's Soldiers preparing to take the fight to our enemies.
Proficiency only comes from practice, and that is especially true on the battlefield. That's why our Soldiers train; they must be ready to inflict harm on our enemies, while protecting themselves on the battlefield. We do minimize the noise and cost by using simulation to great effect, but we don't want our Soldiers to experience firing the main gun of an M1 Abrams tank for the first time as they are facing off against an enemy on the battlefield. Instead, we make sure they get that experience on a training range at Fort Benning.
So I ask you to consider that while sometimes loud, the sounds of training you hear represent how we ensure our nation's Soldiers - who are in fact our sons and daughters, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters - are ready to accomplish their mission and return home safely.
Why does Fort Benning conduct this training?
Did you know that Fort Benning fires more ammunition than all other installations? The Maneuver Center fires 42.2 million rounds each year. All of this firing is necessary to train the greatest fighting force in the world. Every day, tens of thousands of Soldiers are deployed to combat environments, and the training they receive at the Maneuver Center ensures they are equipped with the skills necessary to achieve victory against our Nation’s enemies.
Interactive Sound Map
Click here for a full sized version of the map
Move your mouse over a range to find the name of that area. Click on a range for a description of the training held
Training Schedule
Sound Off!
In the Chattahoochee Valley, we are trying to break down the perceived barriers to Fort Benning. This website is an effort to improve the communication and awareness of both smoke and sounds created by our activities that may impact the lives of our neighbors.
Your opinions and comments are very important to Fort Benning's leadership. Click here to send us a note. Every email will be read and forwarded to the appropriate agencies for consideration or action.