On March 11 and 12, 2008, Kings Mountain National Military Park (NMP) completed two successful prescribed burns. Both burns were second entry burns totaling 429 acres. Now in the eighth year of the prescribed fire program, the park has completed 32 prescribed burns totaling over 5643 acres.
The park’s fire management plan focuses on hazard fuel reduction, habitat restoration and cultural landscape restoration. Both prescribed fire and mechanical fuel reduction play significant roles in achieving the park’s objectives.
Utilizing the Southeast Region contract fuels helicopter based at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the Great Smoky Mountains Fire Use Module, the crews were able to complete ignition of the area very quickly, allowing smoke to disperse before an inversion could take place. Chief Ranger, Chris Revels emphasized the benefits to using the helicopter. “Having an NPS dedicated fuels ship for the Southeast Region has greatly improved our ability to take advantage of short burn windows, maximized lift to ensure minimal smoke management problems, and improved safety by limiting firefighter fatigue and exposure in steep and complex terrain."
The positive results can be seen in the battlefield landscape which is now more like the forest of the 18th century Revolutionary War battle of Kings Mountain. The prescribed fire program can also be credited for preventing a fire from turning into a wildfire. A neighbor lost control while burning leaves, the fire spread to the edge of the park where it stopped as a result of a prescribed burn completed the prior year.
Kings Mountain NMP plans to conduct two more burns in 2008, including one that will burn acreage in Kings Mountain State Park. A Memorandum of Understanding with the adjoining state park has allowed the park to utilize existing road and trails on four previous burns. Utilization of the roads and trails improves the production rate during preparation for the burns while helping the state park achieve some of its management goals as well.
Contact: Erin Broadbent, Superintendent / Chris Revels, Chief Ranger
Phone: (864) 936-7921
*This story supports the National Fire Plan |
