Padre Island National Seashore treated approximately 1,140 acres of coastal grassland prairie with prescribed fire on June 19-20, 2008. The burn was located near park headquarters, between Park Road 22 and the Gulf of Mexico shoreline. Firefighters were careful to protect infrastructure within the burn unit including a water tank facility, an oil and gas well site, the historic Novillo Line Camp, and park headquarters.
The natural environment of the park includes nearly 50,000 acres of fire dependent habitats dominated primarily by coastal grassland prairie where periodic droughts, high temperatures, and strong winds provide an ideal environment for ignition and perpetuation of fire. Fire has been one of the most important natural disturbances to this ecosystem, but has become less frequent due to the historical impacts of overgrazing on the native vegetation and aggressive fire suppression activities.
The timing of this burn, just before the busy 4th of July holiday which is associated with increased fire danger, was opportune for reducing hazardous fuels that could lead to intense wildfires. Prescribed fire will also revitalize plant communities and increase diversity of flora and fauna.
Resources included three engines and more than thirty personnel. Partners included Big Thicket National Preserve, Bandelier National Monument, Saguaro National Park, South Texas Refuge Complex, and Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. Additional contingency resources from Flour Bluff Volunteer Fire Department, Station 15 were also on standby if needed.
This was the park’s third prescribed burn. The area around the historic Novillo Line Camp was burned in 2004 and an area west of Park Road 22 was burned in 2007.
Contact: Fulton Jeansonne, Southeast Texas Fire Management Officer
Phone: (409) 283-5824 x22
*This story supports the National Fire Plan |
