What all goes into igniting a controlled burn? Channel 9 gets an inside look

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Skywitness 9 was overhead as the St. Johns River Water Management District used a helicopter to burn hundreds of acres of brush Tuesday near Orange County’s Wedgefield neighborhood.

Special pingpong-like balls were used to start hundreds of small fires that join forces to create one large fire.

The method burns off more fuel on more acres than normally would be possible with people on the ground using drip torches.

The balls are injected with a chemical mixture that ignites them about 30 seconds after they drop from a helicopter.

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The balls catch fire thanks to a mixture of potassium permanganate and glycol.

"You inject (glycol) into the ball with a needle, and that is the oxidizer that creates a chemical reaction that creates fire," said Doug Voltolina, who works for the district.

The machine used to puncture and release the balls was invented by a Leesburg man. It helps forest managers blanket areas with fire.

See video of the fire being set below:

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Tuesday’s prescribed burn was expected to clear 976 acres -- the first time in six years that the area has had its underbrush cleared.

"It's a large acreage burn, so the helicopter helps us in getting the burn done a lot quicker," said Pete Henn, who also works for the district.

The method also improves safety because fewer people are needed to ignite the fire.

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"When you have a helicopter ... rather than individuals walking on a very hot day like today, you can cover thousands of acres," Voltolina said.

The forest management team said it can safely burn more than 10,000 acres in a single day.

The agency is responsible for maintaining more than 700,000 acres in 18 Florida counties.

See a map of the area below:

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