New River Gorge National Park and Preserve Fire Managers plan to burn approximately five acres sometime between Feb. 19 and Mar. 31, at the Sandstone Visitor Center near Hinton. Wind speed and direction, humidity, and other factors will be considered to determine the exact date of the burn. The prescribed burn area is located just north of I-64, and Route 20 interchange (Exit 139). The burn is expected to take several hours to complete. The Sandstone Visitor Center and parking lot will be closed during the burn but will reopen after completion and safety clearance.
The purpose of this prescribed burn is to maintain native grassland habitat that provides food and nesting space for birds as well as other grassland wildlife and to discourage the spread of invasive species.
A prescribed burn is a planned fire. This planned fire has a set of parameters that define the desired weather and fuel conditions under which a prescribed burn can be initiated. Before implementing this burn, the fire manager will evaluate current conditions and will only begin ignition if the prescribed conditions are within those parameters.
Travelers on Summers County Rt. 7, Meadow Creek Road, may experience temporary delays during firing operations. Smoke will be visible for a short duration. For more information, please contact New River Gorge National Park and Preserve Fire Management staff at 304-465-6529.
