NPS Photo

An ignition specialist begins the prescibed burn in May 2008.

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WEST BRANCH, IOWA—Herbert Hoover National Historic Site will burn 40 acres of the 81-acre tallgrass prairie located on the site. The staff plans to conduct the prescribed fire sometime between early April and mid May of 2009. Weather conditions and safety considerations will determine the exact date and time of the fire. A specially trained National Park Service fire crew burned nine acres of the prairie last May.

The National Park Service follows a scientific prescription for prairie burning. The “burn plan” describes the objectives of the fire, the fuel available in the prairie, the size and location of the prescribed burn, and the precise conditions for the fire. Safety considerations and smoke control play important roles in the burn plan. Although the prescribed fire crew will employ methods that minimize the amount of smoke produced, anyone suffering from asthma, emphysema, or lung disease, and living within one mile of the National Historic Site should contact the park at (319) 643-2541. If they leave their name, address, and telephone number, park staff will notify them in advance of the fire.

Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum are in West Branch, Iowa at exit 254 of I-80. Both are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time. Parking is limited so please allow extra time to find a parking space.