News Release

National Park Service to Conduct Prescribed Fires this Spring

Date: March 1, 2019

The National Park Service is planning eight prescribed fires this spring at Indiana Dunes National Park. Approximately 1800 acres are expected to be burned. Fire is used as a tool in the park's long-term restoration of natural habitats and hazard fuel reduction efforts.

Resource Management Chief Dan Plath said, “Fire plays an important role in the overall restoration and management plans for the Park. Protecting our neighbors from the possibility of wildfire while also managing the lands for resource benefit is important to us. Prescribed fire is our tool to do that.”

In Gary, 599 acres are to be burned in four sections. The first unit is in the Miller Community, around the Douglas Center for Environmental Education, north of 3rd Avenue and west of Lake Street. This 16-acre burn reduces the threat of wildfire to the education center. Just over 300 acres will be burned on either side of Grand Boulevard and along the Marquette Trail all the way east to County Line Road. These will likely be burned in two separate burn units. South of US 12, 274 acres of the Tolleston Dunes are scheduled to be burned just west of Inland Manor.

In Porter, just west of the National Park Headquarters, fire crews plan to burn portions of the 193 acre Mnoke Prairie. Another 551 acres just north of Park Headquarters, and directly east of the Town of Dune Acres, will be burned in the Howes Prairie/Lupine Lane Prescribed Fire.

Two burns are planned near Beverly Shores. The 285 acre Dune Ridge Trail Prescribed Fire will be between East State Park Road, and Broadway, north of Beverly Drive to Lake Front Drive. On the east side of Beverly Shores, the 196 acre Kansas Avenue prescribed fire unit will be burned north of Beverly Drive and just west of Central Beach.

Residents of Porter County may sign up to receive prescribed fire notifications through Porter County's "Alert Porter County" system. As part of the program, residents can sign up to receive a text message, email or voice message when prescribed fires are happening at Indiana Dunes National Park. Go to http://www.portercounty911.org to sign up for this free service. Additionally, the National Park announces prescribed fire activity on its Facebook page, www.facebok.com/IndianaDunesNPS.

The prescribed fire program at Indiana Dunes National Park is conducted by trained and experienced National Park Service fire personnel. Smoke dispersal is a primary concern and park staff will do everything possible to limit smoke in the area by monitoring wind and atmospheric conditions prior to ignitions. However, smoke drifting in and around park lands and roadways is possible.

Clear management goals and objectives have been established for each burn unit. Before burning, a designated set of conditions must exist including ideal air temperature, wind speed and direction, and relative humidity. Weather conditions will be monitored throughout the duration of the burn to ensure the fire is completed safely.