Wildland Fire Crews Conducting Prescribed Burns at Kings Mountain National Military Park

Kings Mountain National Military Park announced today, a series of prescribed burns will be conducted within the park boundaries through the end of May.Locations to be burned are as follows:

• Water Treatment Plant burn unit – 111 acre area located north of the main park drive and adjacent to the Battlefield area. The unit is bound by the headwaters of Long Branch to the north as well as a portion of Clarks Creek Trail.
• Long Branch burn unit – 82 acre area located north of the main park drive and adjoins the Water Treatment Plant unit. The unit is bound by the headwaters of Long Branch to the north as well as a portion of Clarks Creek Trail.
• Piedmont burn unit – 144 acre area located south of the main park drive and to the north of the Kings Mountain State Park boundary. The Equestrian Trail is located within this unit.
• Georgia Aster B burn unit – 5 acre area located between Piedmont Road and the Equestrian Trail at the boundary of Kings Mountain State Park.

Wildland fire crews are working to prepare these units for safe and effective prescribed burns, conducted in accordance with the approved fire management plan and as weather conditions allow throughout the spring season. Surrounding communities may expect minimal smoke and visibility impacts during the burns. Some access to trails and grounds within the burn areas may be temporarily restricted during burn activities for visitor and wildland fire crew safety.The timing of the prescribed burn implementation is dependent upon a variety of conditions as burns are conducted within specific parameters that consider temperature, relative humidity, fuel moisture, wind speed, and wind direction. The safety of firefighters and the public is the number one priority of all NPS wildland fire management activities. Informational updates and alerts regarding prescribed burn activities in the park will be posted on the park website and social media.

Fire is an essential and natural process that has shaped the landscape of Kings Mountain National Military Park for thousands of years. Prescribed burns are conducted in the park to reduce the risk of wildland fire, and to restore native vegetation and historic landscapes. All areas of historic, cultural, and ecological importance are identified and protected throughout the planning and implementation of prescribed burns.

Kings Mountain National Military Park preserves the battle site of the first major patriot victory to occur after the British invasion of Charleston, South Carolina. Recreational trails, abundant natural resources, and interpretive programs that share the stories of heroic citizens who fought in the conflict are told here. The nearly 4,000 acre park was established on March 3, 1931. For more information about Kings Mountain.

Original source can be found here.