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Contact: Stephenie Sztendera, 8509347952
OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. – The National Park Service plans to conduct prescribed (controlled) burns within the Davis Bayou Area of Gulf Islands National Seashore near Ocean Springs on April 11 and 12, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.The planned burns are scheduled to take place from April 11 through April 12 but will only occur if specific weather conditions and associated prescriptions (e.g. wind direction, wind speed, humidity, smoke dispersion, etc.) are met. The park will review the conditions on the morning of each potential burn day to determine if the burn is within the identified prescription indices necessary for the controlled burn to take place.
Park visitors and surrounding residents may experience minor smoke impacts and possibly short-term road closures necessary for the safety of visitors, firefighters, and equipment.
The park has developed small burn blocks, to mitigate potential community impacts. Ground ignition will be used to limit smoke and help provide maximum control of the burn areas.
Pine flatwood habitats in the Davis Bayou Area depend upon regular fire to maintain this ecosystem type, which is important for several protected wildlife and botanical species. Fire is a natural process, and proactive measures can diminish the possibility or prevent wildfires from spreading. Introducing fire into the ecosystem, through the park’s prescribed fire program can help curtail the risk to life, property, and resources in the event of a wildfire caused by a lightning strike or incidental human causes. Beyond preventative measures, fire can benefit wildlife and their habitat.
About Gulf Islands National Seashore: Created in 1971, the national seashore stretches 160 miles along the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico in Florida and Mississippi, and includes barrier islands, maritime forests, historic forts, bayous, and marine habitat. Visit us at www.nps.gov/GulfIslands, on Facebook www.facebook.com/GulfIslandsNPS, Twitter www.twitter.com/GulfIslandsNPS, and Instagram www.Instagram.com/GulfIslandsNPS.
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 433 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Last updated: April 10, 2025