Big Mountain Prescribed Burn (Prescribed Fire)

This fall Monongahela National Forest officials plan to conduct a prescribed burn on 257 acres of National Forest System land in the Big Mountain area, southwest of Cherry Grove in Pendleton County. The Forest Service began prescribed burning in the Big Mountain area in 2019 and will continue to burn for the next several years. Why do we burn? Reintroducing fire into the forest will: Restore historic fire regimes Improve wildlife habitat Enhance forest structure and age diversity Improve oak regeneration Control tree diseases and insects Reduce hazardous fuel levels How do we manage a prescribed burn?Fire managers prepare a burn plan for each prescribed burn describing the appropriate conditions needed to conduct the burn safely and achieve the desired results. Burn plans consider public safety, protection of private property, staffing and equipment needs, temperature, humidity, wind, moisture of the vegetation, and conditions for the dispersal of smoke. Appropriate conditions must…