Gulf Islands National Seashore will host a virtual public meeting on Thursday, January 5 at 5 p.m. to discuss prescribed burning plans for the year 2023.
There will be a brief presentation followed by a question-and-answer session. The session will be hosted on Microsoft Teams. You may join from your computer, or on the mobile app. Visit http://bit.ly/3VkBzNr to join the meeting.
“The safety of our staff and the public is the number one priority when planning prescribed fires,” said Darrell Echols, Gulf Islands National Seashore superintendent. “The National Park Service depends on interagency partners and neighboring communities to help preserve natural and cultural resources and to maintain already healthy ecosystems. This meeting is a great opportunity for the community to understand the park’s fire management plan and their role.”
The burns are a part of the National Park Service’s prescribed fire program to help protect local communities from the catastrophic effects of uncontrolled wildland fires while promoting the natural ecosystem’s ability to thrive. The dates of the burning will depend on weather conditions. Fires will be ignited when environmental factors such as temperature, wind direction, relative humidity, and fuel moisture levels are within a very specific range.
Gulf Islands National Seashore collaborates with the following partners to conduct prescribed burns: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S Forest Service, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Mississippi Forestry Commission, Florida Forest Service, Longleaf Alliance, Nature Conservancy, North West Florida Water Management District, Florida State Parks, Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge, and local fire departments.
Gulf Islands National Seashore manages approximately 11,346 acres of upland habitat in Florida and Mississippi for wildfires, and approximately 7 percent of that total area (832 acres) for prescribed fire activities as described in the Fire Management Plan for the park. Prescribed fire activities are limited to the Naval Live Oaks and Davis Bayou units of the park.
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