Burns will Promote Wildlife and Reduce the Risk of Wildfire
May 1 – Harrisonburg, VA – The George Washington and Jefferson National Forests provide habitat for thousands of species across Virginia and West Virginia, including nearly 300 threatened, endangered, sensitive and locally rare wildlife and plants. To help preserve these and other species Forest Service fire specialists are burning 5,460acres near Reddish Knob in Rockingham, Highland and Augusta Counties, VA and Pendleton County, WV. The burn is bordered on all sides by the following roads; Forest Road (FR) 85 to the east, FR 32/95 to the south, FR 61 to the east and VA924/WV 25 to the north. Burning will occur over a 3-day period between early and mid-May. We expect smoke to be visible, particularly from Harrisburg and surrounding locations and residents nearby in Sugar Grove and Brandywine will smell smoke. The smoke will most likely settle in lower elevations during the early morning.
The prescribed burn will take place west of Reddish Knob and temporary closures include Trail #1027 and possibly portions of WV25/VA924 during ignitions. These areas will reopen once the prescribed burn is complete.
Safety is our primary concern during this prescribed burn. The fire experts assigned to this burn are highly trained and have years of experience in protecting surrounding communities, themselves, and the land they are working to restore. Experienced fire specialists will closely monitor local weather conditions, such as wind and humidity, and make adjustments in the schedule as needed to ensure the safety of both crewmembers and local residents. Prior to lighting the burn, crews construct and designate firebreaks to keep the fire within the burn.
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Burns will Promote Wildlife and Reduce the Risk of Wildfire – Page 2
area. The burn will mimic historic natural fire as much as possible. The fire will move slowly down the ridges with low flames. Some individual trees will burn, but the fire should travel mostly across the forest floor.
We are rapidly losing young forests, open areas, and critical wildlife habitat due to 100 years of fire suppression and an aging forest. For thousands of years, fire shaped our forests and wildlife and our lands actually need fire to be healthy. Research shows that fire naturally occurred every 3-15 years in our area. Low intensity prescribed burns create open areas where a diverse mix of grasses, plants, and wildflowers grow and provide valuable food and cover for wildlife. These planned burns help to make the land healthier for people, water, and wildlife, such as bear, deer, turkey, and many migratory birds and many endangered species.
For more information on our prescribed burn program, please contact the North River Ranger District at 540-432-0817
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