Prescribed fire planned on HSNP land Monday

A prescribed fire is planned for Hot Springs National Park next week that will cover around 100 acres of park property near Blacksnake Road.

Dwight Newman, the park’s prescribed fire specialist, said “we hope to begin Monday morning, depending on the weather. If it looks favorable, we’ll probably start around 10 a.m., and probably be finished (by) 4 p.m.”

The fire itself “will just take one day for ignition,” but they will watch the area for “a few days to be sure it’s safe,” he said, noting, “smoldering and smoke can last 72 hours.”

Due to the weather, the prescribed fire could happen as late as March 19, a news release said.

Newman said the fire will take place near Lillard Lane and Blacksnake Road, and along Bull Bayou.

The Hot Springs Fire Department, Piney Fire Department and the Watershed Conservation Corps will be assisting the park in the burn, the release said, and Newman noted between 20 and 25 people will work on the controlled fire.

In addition to the 100 acres of park property, Newman said they will burn around 30 acres of private land.

Newman said they have several reasons to conduct prescribed burns.

“One reason would be to reduce accumulation of dead fuel — leaves, limbs, brush, heavier logs,” he said, noting if the area does catch fire, “we want to (fight the fire) under conditions we choose instead of an out-ofcontrol wildfire.”

“Another reason would be to improve wildlife habitat and to benefit natural plant species,” he said, since the fire will target invasive plant species.

“Forest restoration, exotic species reduction, and fuels reduction are the primary reasons for conducting the prescribed fire operations. Fire is a natural process and a way for land managers to restore fire to ecosystems in a carefully planned manner, using very specific weather and personnel guidelines to protect public safety

while achieving resource management objectives,” HSNP Superintendent Laura Miller said in the release.

Blacksnake Road will possibly have to be closed during the burn, but “that’s not a guarantee,” Newman said. “If we get smoke across Blacksnake Road, we’ll have people in place” to close the road.

Newman said the park spent the previous week preparing the area for the burn.

“First thing we do is we go and create fire lines, remove fuel and cut out large areas of brush. We did that this week,” Newman told The Sentinel-Record on Thursday, noting areas in the park will have a prescribed fire every three to five years.

“Although all efforts are taken to minimize smoke impacts, people who are sensitive to smoke may want to avoid outside activities on the days of the prescribed burn operation. Visitors should keep in mind that certain areas of the park may be temporarily closed to ensure public and firefighter safety,” the release said.