Catoctin Mountain Park to Conduct a Prescribed Fire

Date: March 21, 2016
Contact: Don Stanley, Fire Management Officer, 301-416-0100

THURMONT, Md. - Weather permitting Catoctin Mountain Park will conduct a prescribed fire on the 13 acre Braestrup property during the period of March 22-24, 2016.

The prescribed fire will be conducted on the Braestrup Tract as part of Catoctin's Five Year Fire Plan and Community Wildland Fire Plan. Implementing this prescribed fire meets the following fire management objectives:

• Protect natural and cultural resources
• Use fire to restore the conditions necessary to encourage and establish grassland wildlife habitat
• Reduce the buildup of hazardous fuels that could ignite wildland fires
• Reduce alien invasive plant species

If the weather cooperates, there will be little impact to park visitors as the Braestrup property is currently under winter closure as detailed in the Superintendent's Compendium.(https://www.nps.gov/cato/planyourvisit/permitsandreservations.htm). Smoke is not expected to impact areas beyond the park boundary including State Route 491 and Buck Lantz Road.

In accordance with National Park Service policy and procedures, the prescribed burns will be carried out by a qualified fire team. Firefighters from Catoctin Mountain Park and other national park areas within the National Capital Region will assist on the day of the burn. Fire departments from surrounding communities will join Catoctin Mountain Park in conducting this prescribed fire.

After conducting the prescribed fire, National Park Service staff will rehabilitate the 13 acres as appropriate to the site to encourage the growth of native grasses.The area will be closelymonitored after the burn to evaluate progresstoward burnobjectives and fire effects on vegetation.

Catoctin Mountain Park is one of over 400 units administered by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. The park Visitor Center, located on State Route 77 three miles west of Thurmont, Maryland, is open daily from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.Correspondence should be addressed to: Superintendent, Catoctin Mountain Park, 6602 Foxville Road, Thurmont, MD 21788. Our website address is www.nps.gov/cato.General information can be obtained by calling the Visitor Center at [phone].

-NPS-