News Release

Update on Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield Prescribed Burns

NPS Photo

News Release Date: December 8, 2024 REPUBLIC, MO – Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield will intermittently conduct prescribed burns in the park between December 9 and December 12, 2024. The range of dates is necessary because prescribed fire is dependent on weather conditions. The burn is expected to last multiple days. To assure visitor safety, some trails, trailheads, parking areas including horse trailer parking, and areas of the battlefield will be closed to visitors while the prescribed burn is conducted. The tour road may be closed, but the visitor center, and museum will remain open. 

“Weather conditions permitting, up to 250 acres of grassland and forest will be burned,” said Superintendent Sarah Cunningham. If weather conditions do not permit, it is possible that no burns will occur during this period. All burns will be conducted by trained and experienced National Park Service fire personnel. The objective of the prescribed burns is to provide for the safety of employees, visitors, and the surrounding communities and improve the natural and cultural landscape of the site. The prescribed fire will reduce woody plants and invasive plant species; and create good soil conditions for native seeds.

Prescribed fire is planned around the following areas:

• Northwest around the junction of Farm Road 182 and ZZ Highway.
• At stop 2 east of the tour road.
• Southwest of stop 5 of the tour road.
• Southwest boundary of the park just east of ZZ highway near Terrell Creek.

Fire managers make every effort to minimize smoke impacts to surrounding communities, but smoke drifting in and around park lands and roadways is possible. Smoke-sensitive individuals may want to avoid outside activities on the days of operations.

Wilson's Creek is currently involved in a long-term program aimed at restoring the historic landscape within the park through periodic prescribed burns. At the time of the 1861 battle, much of the vegetation was an upland savanna. Both historically and naturally, fire played an important role in maintaining this savanna landscape. “Prescribed fire is a tool used in a carefully planned manner, following guidelines to protect public safety, to achieve resource management objectives,” said Cunningham. With its prescribed fire program, the National Park Service is reintroducing fire as an effective management tool to assist with the restoration of this important historic scene.

For additional information on whether prescribed fire operations and closures will occur on a given day, call the park’s Visitor Center at 417-732-2662/417-732-6596 or visit the website at nps.gov/wicr, or the Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield Facebook page.

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