News Release

Prescribed fires to be conducted along Natchez Trace Parkway

Firefighters watch over a prescribed fire on Natchez Trace Parkway

NPS photo/S. Johnson

News Release Date: April 27, 2022

Contact: Doug Sprouse, 662-680-4029

Contact: Mandi Toy, 662-680-4017

TUPELO, Miss. – The National Park Service will be conducting prescribed fires along Natchez Trace Parkway the rest of this week. National Park Service staff will work in the following areas:

• Tockshish, Milepost 250, Pontotoc County
• Old Trace and Confederate Gravesites, Milepost 270, Lee County 
• Chickasaw Village, Milepost 262, Lee County

Motorists should reduce speed significantly when smoke is visible and where fire crews are working. Reduce speed to a maximum of 30 mph, turn on headlights, and stay alert. Please be aware of park rangers, firefighters, and equipment along the roadway. There may be short term closures of trails and pullouts during the burns. If visibility falls below 500 feet (150 m), the Parkway may be closed until smoke has cleared. Smoke may be visible for several days after initial prescribed fire operations.

Prescribed fires help to restore the native prairie and open woodlands, as well as reduce hazardous fuels that could burn in a wildfire. It is a cost-effective tool used to manage the forests and grasslands that encompass the Parkway. Check the park website and social media pages for up-to-date information on fire operations. For more information about Natchez Trace Parkway Fire Management, please visit http://www.nps.gov/natr/parkmgmt/firemanagement.htm.