News Release

Prescribed fire on the Gettysburg battlefield will take place April 11

Re-route of auto tour and prescribed fire area.

NPS Map

News Release Date: April 9, 2019

Contact: Jason Martz, 717-338-4423 (office)

Contact: Jason Martz, 571-358-0516 (cell)

Gettysburg, Pa. – Weather conditions (wind, temperature, and relative humidity) are right for the National Park Service to conduct a prescribed fire on 117 acres on the southern portion of Gettysburg National Military Park on Thursday, April 11. Gettysburg’s overall objectives are to maintain the conditions of the battlefield as experienced by the soldiers who fought here; perpetuate the open space character of the landscape; maintain wildlife habitat; control exotic invasive species; reduce shrub and woody species components; and reduce fuels in wooded areas to reduce fire hazard. Safety is our top priority.

Temporary Closures

Beginning at 6 a.m. on Thursday, April 11, the following areas of the park will be closed:
 

• South Confederate Avenue.
• The picnic area along South Confederate Avenue.
• All pedestrian and horse trails within the burn unit.

In order to ensure public and firefighter safety, all of these areas may need to be closed for one or more days after Thursday, April 11. Additional roads, trails and other areas may need to close temporarily if smoke conditions reduce visibility to ensure public and firefighter safety.

Little Round Top

Little Round Top will still be accessible during the prescribed fire. Visitors should follow these driving directions to access Little Round Top: from Wheatfield Road to Crawford Avenue to Warren Avenue to Sedgewick Avenue and the Little Round Top parking area.

Public Viewing

The public may view the prescribed fire from the Snyder farm house at West Confederate Avenue and Emmitsburg Road (parking along West Confederate Avenue), Little Round Top or Devil’s Den. No stopping of vehicles along Emmitsburg Road for viewing the fire will be permitted.

The prescribed fire will be conducted from approximately late morning through the afternoon, followed by patrol and monitoring to ensure the fire is completely out. A combination of lawn-sprinklers, hoses, mowed lines, and fire engines will be used to create a buffer and fire break to protect monuments and other cultural resources in the burn area. National Park Service staff will monitor air quality and smoke impacts as well as visibility on nearby roads.

Up-to-date information on this and any other closures and fire activity will be posted on the park's social media sites using the hashtag, #GettysburgNPS.