News Release
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Contact: Jason Martz, 717-338-4423
GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Gettysburg National Military Park is preparing to conduct a prescribed fire on April 17-18, weather permitting. The park plans to burn portions of the west slope of Little Round Top (52 acres) and the Munshower field (36 acres) immediately north of Little Round Top. Prescribed fire activity will be completed as soon as all safety protocols are met.
The Park’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. The park contains over 1,000 acres of open grassland and prescribed fire is a successful tool in managing invasive plants and promoting native species, especially when used in conjunction with other treatments. Several national parks in Pennsylvania and Civil War battlefields regularly utilize prescribed fire, including Valley Forge National Historical Park, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Monocacy National Battlefield, Antietam National Battlefield, and Manassas National Battlefield Park.
Field and weather conditions will determine the exact duration of the operation, as we only conduct prescribed fires under specific parameters to ensure public safety. Vehicle traffic in the area may experience delays due to smoke, but fire operations will be scheduled to minimize impacts. Some visitor facilities, trails, and public roads will be temporarily closed during the prescribed fire.
Temporary Road Closures
To ensure the safety of all firefighters and park visitors, multiple roads will be closed to all traffic for the day(s) of the prescribed fires and possibly for multiple days after the fires. These will include:
- South Confederate Avenue.
- Sykes Avenue.
- Warren Avenue.
- Crawford Avenue.
- Wright Avenue.
- Sedgwick Avenue.
- Wheatfield Road will be closed to all vehicles from the Peach Orchard at Sickles Avenue to Taneytown Road.
- Additional roads and trails may need to close temporarily if smoke conditions reduce visibility to ensure firefighter and public safety.
- See attached map for more details.
Temporary Hiking and Horse Trail Closures
- All hiking and horse trails to the east of Sykes and Sedgwick Avenues will be closed for visitor and animal safety.
- The horse trail that runs south of United States Avenue from the Trostle farm to the intersection of United States Avenue and Sedgwick Avenue will also be closed.
- See attached map for more details.
News Media Parking
- For interviews and coverage of the Little Round Top prescribed fire, the designated area will be on Ayres Avenue. Please park along Ayers Avenue only.
- See attached map for more details.
Learn More
Learn more about our long-range fire management plan and view photo albums and videos of past prescribed fires on our Prescribed Fire web page at https://go.nps.gov/PrescribedFires.
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About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 423 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreation opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
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Last updated: April 15, 2021