Date: September 23, 2009
Controlled Burning along the Natchez Trace Parkway
The Natchez Trace Parkway has released its prescribed fire (controlled burning) schedule for 2009-2010. From October 2009 through June 2010, prescribed fire operations will be conducted at various locations along the Parkway (See table below).
|
Prescribed Fire Name
|
Milepost
|
|
Prescribed Fire
Name
|
Milepost
|
|
MP 404 Burn Pile
|
404.4
|
Swan View Overlook
|
392.5- 392.4
|
|
HWY 412
|
391.4- 391.1
|
ML Hiking Trails
Northwest
|
387.4- 385.7
|
|
MP 386 Burn Pile
|
385.6
|
Metal Ford
|
383.0- 382.7
|
|
Napier Mine
|
382.0- 381.9
|
Laurel Hill Dam
|
373.8- 372.7
|
|
HWY 64 Access Islands
|
370.3- 369.9
|
Sweetwater Branch
|
364.3- 362.9
|
|
MP 334 Burn Pile
|
334.0
|
Lauderdale Park
|
329.0- 328.7
|
|
MP 309 Burn Pile
|
309.5
|
HWY 25 Access Islands
|
303.6- 302.7
|
|
3C-2 Lease Tract
|
266.9
|
Needs Center
|
266.7- 265.1
|
|
Headquarters East
|
266.5- 265.5
|
Headquarters West
|
266.4- 265.5
|
|
MP 266 Burn Pile
|
266.2
|
Chickasaw Village
|
262.0- 261.4
|
|
Blackbelt Overlook
|
252.4- 251.7
|
Blackbelt Restoration East
|
250.9- 250.0
|
|
Blackbelt Restoration West
|
250.9- 250.0
|
Trace East-North
|
245.9- 243.2
|
|
Chickasaw Agency
|
241.6- 240.9
|
MP 231 Burn Pile
|
231.2
|
|
MP 219 Burn Pile
|
219.1
|
MP 148 Burn Pile
|
148.4
|
|
Rocks Road
|
120.8- 118.2
|
Fish Farm
|
120.8- 117.4
|
|
MP 120 Burn Pile
|
119.5
|
Turcotte Lab
|
117.4- 114.8
|
|
HWY 43 Access Island
|
115.0- 114.7
|
Brown’s Landing
|
114.8- 114.0
|
|
West Florida Boundary
|
108.2- 107.8
|
Boyd Site
|
107.1- 106.6
|
|
Rocky Springs Campground North
|
55.9- 55.0
|
Rocky Springs Burn Pile
|
54.8
|
|
Port Gibson Maintenance Area
|
39.5- 39.2
|
MP 17 Burn Pile
|
17.0
|
|
Mount Locust
|
16.9- 14.4
|
|
|
Prescribed fire is a useful and cost effective tool for managing the forests and grasslands that encompass the Parkway. The benefits of using prescribed fire include reducing the buildup of dead woody material, decreasing the risk of catastrophic wildfire, perpetuating fire dependent vegetation, reducing exotic vegetation, providing habitat and forage for animals, and restoring the natural role of fire in a healthy ecosystem.
During prescribed fire operations, smoke warning signs will be placed along the Parkway as a precaution. Motorists should travel at a safe speed with headlights on when smoke is visible. Please be aware of park rangers, firefighting personnel, and equipment along the roadway and mowline. If visibility falls below 500 feet, the Parkway may be temporarily closed until smoke has cleared. Visitors are encouraged to have an alternative route planned in the event the Parkway is closed for a long duration.
Some smoke may be visible for several days after initial prescribed fire operations have ended.
The Parkway has been utilizing prescribed fire since 1992. Direction to utilize prescribed fire to achieve goals and objectives comes from the Parkway's Resource Management and Fire Management Plans. The Federal Wildland Fire Policy of 2001 recommends that federal land management agencies within fire dependent communities continue to reintroduce and maintain fire as part of the ecosystem.
