Holding a drip torch, wildlife biologist John Pratte starts a prescribed burn on Thursday in a field in the Steve Powell Wildlife Management Area on a Swan Island in the Kennebec River between Richmond and Dresden. Other workers behind him on ATVs were spraying water on the edge to keep it in the section of field they wanted to burn.

Staff photo by Joe Phelan A planned burn gets underway on Thursday in a field in the Steve Powell Wildlife Management Area on a Swan Island in the Kennebec River between Richmond and Dresden. The burn was done to improve bird habitat.

Staff photo by Joe Phelan Holding a drip torch, wildlife biologist John Pratte starts a prescribed burn on Thursday in a field in the Steve Powell Wildlife Management Area on a Swan Island in the Kennebec River between Richmond and Dresden. Other workers behind him on ATVs were spraying water on the edge to keep it in the section of field they wanted to burn

Staff photo by Joe Phelan Richmond firefighter Nicole Tuttle walks with a drip torch starting a prescribed burn on Thursday in a field in the Steve Powell Wildlife Management Area on a Swan Island in the Kennebec River between Richmond and Dresden. The burn was done to improve bird habitat.

Staff photo by Joe Phelan A worker sprays water from an ATV on the edge of a prescribed burn on Thursday in a field in the Steve Powell Wildlife Management Area on a Swan Island in the Kennebec River between Richmond and Dresden. The burn was done to improve bird habitat.

Staff photo by Joe Phelan Wildlife biologist John Pratte talks about doing a prescribed burn on Thursday in a field in the Steve Powell Wildlife Management Area on a Swan Island in the Kennebec River between Richmond and Dresden. The burn was done to improve bird habitat.

Staff photo by Joe Phelan Holding a drip torch, wildlife biologist John Pratte starts a prescribed burn on Thursday in a field in the Steve Powell Wildlife Management Area on a Swan Island in the Kennebec River between Richmond and Dresden. Other workers behind him on ATVs were spraying water on the edge to keep it in the section of field they wanted to burn.

Staff photo by Joe Phelan Workers load up water tanks before starting a prescribed burn on Thursday in a field in the Steve Powell Wildlife Management Area on a Swan Island in the Kennebec River between Richmond and Dresden. The burn was done to improve bird habitat.

Staff photo by Joe Phelan Richmond firefighter Nicole Tuttle walks with a drip torch starting a prescribed burn on Thursday in a field in the Steve Powell Wildlife Management Area on a Swan Island in the Kennebec River between Richmond and Dresden. The burn was done to improve bird habitat.