News Release

Temporary Closures for Prescribed Burn on 5/9-5/11

News Release Date: April 20, 2023

Contact: Tom VandenBerg, 432-477-1107

Project Update:
This prescribed burn was originally scheduled for the first week in May.
The project was postponed for one week, and is now expected to occur
May 9 thorugh May 11 

BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK, TEXAS – During the time frame of May 9 thorugh May 11, Big Bend National Park fire managers will conduct a 149-acre prescribed burn along the Rio Grande. This fire will be used as a natural resource habitat treatment to control exotic giant cane (Arundo donax). The project area is located along 5 miles of river corridor from the Rio Grande Village Nature Trail to the mouth of Boquillas Canyon (see attached map). During this time, visitors will encounter a temporary closure of the road to Boquillas Canyon. This closure will include the Boquillas Port of Entry, Boquillas Overlook, Boquillas Canyon Trail, and the Rio Grande Village Nature Trail. The closure will be lifted as soon as the prescribed burn is complete, and the area determined safe for public entry.  

The National Park Service uses prescribed fires to manage vegetation, reduce fuels, and restore more natural ecosystems. This fire is specifically planned to reduce stands of non-native river cane and tamarisk, restore willow habitat, and open up banks of the river for recreational use. Over the decades, the Rio Grande has become increasingly channelized, as invasive river cane forms dense thickets and traps sediment. With the removal of this cane, the river can carry the sediment downstream, opening up gravel bars and wider floodplains again. These in turn are beneficial to wildlife such as mussels, fish, and beaver, and provide camp sites for river users. Resource staff will follow the burn with an herbicide application to the river cane.

The burn will be conducted by NPS fire personnel from Big Bend NP, Guadalupe Mountains NP, Olympic NP, and Great Smoky Mountains NP, along with the Los Diablos fire crew. During the closure, park visitors to the Rio Grande Village area should expect to see dense smoke, and potential increase in operational traffic associated with the fire crews. Closures will be lifted as soon as the prescribed burn operation is complete, and the area is determined safe to enter.

Visitors are encouraged to check park alerts and conditions at www.nps.gov/bibe/planyourvisit/conditions.htm.

The prescribed burn will occur along the river corridor between the Rio Grande Village Nature Trail and Boquillas Canyon.