News Release

Catoctin Mountain Park plans prescribed burn

Date: March 20, 2024
Contact: Phillip S. Greenwalt, 240-385-2814
Contact: Lindsey Donaldson

Thurmont, Md. –Fire managers at Catoctin Mountain Park plan to burn approximately 20 acres of forest near Chimney Rock sometime between March 25 and April 30, 2024, weather permitting. A notice will be posted on the park website and social media when a date is finalized. Fire managers anticipate one day of operations to complete the proejct.

Fire has been a natural process in Appalachian oak and pine forests for thousands of years. Humans began to suppress fires as populations increased in the early 20th century. The absence of fire over the past 100 years has transformed area forests. Oak and some pine species are having difficulty regenerating due to the accumulation of leaf litter and competition with fire intolerant tree species, such as red maple.

Prescribed burns are ignited by fire managers under a pre-determined set of conditions, including temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, fuel moisture and resource availability. The prescribed burn will be conducted under the guidance and direction of trained and experienced National Park Service personnel. 

Smoke from the burn may be visible in and around the Thurmont area. Motorists driving in areas of smoke should take additional care by slowing down and ensuring their headlights are on. All park facilities will remain open during the prescribed burn. 

Access to Chimney Rock will be restricted the day of the burn and the day after the burn. For the safety of visitors, closure signs will be posted at both ends of the closed trail. 

Additional information on the project will be available on the park’s website, www.nps.gov/cato, and Facebook page, www.facebook.com/CatoctinNPS.  
 

—NPS—  
 

About Catoctin Mountain Park: Catoctin Mountain Park, one of America’s 429 national parks, protects cabins, roads, trails and other structures that were constructed during the Depression era as a Recreational Demonstration Area. Today the park offers the public valuable outdoor recreation opportunities in a natural setting. Learn more at www.nps.gov/cato or follow us on Facebook.