Prescribed burns planned on national forest land
U.S. Forest Service districts around the area are planning prescribed burns this spring to reduce wildfire risk and improve wildlife habitat, with dates depending on weather and fuel conditions.
In the Pisgah Ranger District of the Pisgah National Forest, burns will take place on the 1,200-acre Bear Pen Unit, 750-acre Balds unit and 2,000-acre Pink Beds unit, located in Haywood and Transylvania counties.
In the Cocke County portion of the Cherokee National Forest, burns will take place on the 1,230-acre Chestnut Ridge Unit just northwest of Max Patch Mountain, the 700-acre Meadow Creek Unit on the northwest side of Meadow Creek Mountain, the 850-acre Walnut Mountain Unit between Rattlesnake Gap and Lemon Gap, the 850-acre Little Clifty Unit on the southwest side of Meadow Creek Mountain, and the 2,000-acre Brush Creek Unit just north of the French Broad River.
In the Tellico Ranger District of the Cherokee National Forest, burns will take place on the 950-acre Jake Best Unit along the northern half of Double Camp Loop Road, the 448-acre Flatts Footest Unit, the 2,073-acre McNabb Unit, the 1,585-acre Bivens Branch Unit, the 1,425-acre McIntyre Unit, the 2,695-acre Turkey Creek A/Buckhorn/Butler Knob Unit, the 1,272-acre Salt Spring/Blue Mountain Unit, the 4,540-acre Beaver Dam Unit and the 4,919-acre Whigg Ridge Unit.
In the Ocoee Ranger District of the Cherokee National Forest, burns will take place on the 3,499-acre Smith Mountain Unit, the 3,660-acre Mary’s Branch/Little Lost Creek/Piney Flats Unit, the 1,290-acre McCamey Ridge Unit, the 2,314-acre Hasking Creek/Sylco Ridge/Sylco Campground Unit, the 947-acre Stillhouse Unit, the 1,881-acre Falls Branch Unit, the 1,718-acre Upper Grays Branch/Gray’s Branch/Devils Branch Unit, the 1,965-acre Hogback Unit, the 2,653-acre Towee/Wildcat/Loss Creek Unit, the 1,265-acre Presswood Mountain Unit and the 1,605-acre Chestnut Mountain Unit.
Burns are expected to take place in March, April and May.
