USDA Monongahela National Forest specialists plan to control burn as many as 2,038 acres of Forest Service land in West Virginia this fall. The burn units are located on the White Sulphur Ranger District in Greenbrier County and the Greenbrier Ranger District in Pocahontas County.
“The Forest Service is using prescribed fire to restore fire’s ecological role in oak and pine systems,” said Greenbrier District Ranger Jack Tribble. “This restoration effort will favor native vegetation and provide structural diversity to enhance wildlife habitat.”
The following is a summary of planned burns:
• Guinn Ridge (1,462 acres) located in Pocahontas County east of Greenbank. This unit was first burned in 2011. This entry will complete the second burn planned for this unit for vegetative management objectives.
• Rucker Gap (384 acres) located in Greenbrier County east of Neola. This will be the first entry of two burns planned for this unit.
• Meadow Creek Units 1 and 2 (192 acres) located in Greenbrier County east of Neola. These units were first burned in 2011 (Unit 1) and 2012 (Unit 2). This entry will complete the second burn planned for these units for vegetative management objectives.
• Marlinton-White Sulphur District Ranger Rondi Fischer stressed that protecting private property and providing for firefighter safety are top objectives during prescribed fire use. “We will begin a prescribed fire only when the conditions are right to accomplish our vegetative goals safely,” she said. “If it is too dry, we will wait for another day.”
The Forest Service will alert local radio stations on days that burning will occur. Local residents and travelers through the area should be aware of the likelihood of smoke emanating from these burn areas.
For more information contact the Greenbrier Ranger Station at 304-456-3335 or the White Sulphur office of the Marlinton-White Sulphur Ranger District at 304-536-2144.