Prescribed Fires Planned at Stones River National Battlefield

The staff at Stones River National Battlefield plans to burn about 310 acres of fields and forested areas on Thursday and Friday December 6-7, 2018. These prescribed burns are a part of the park’s Fire Management Plan, which was developed with public and professional participation in 2003 and updated in 2018.

The areas to be burned are located at Fortress Rosecrans, Redoubt Brannan and the forested areas within the Nashville Pike Unit. Burns at Fortress Rosecrans and Redoubt Brannan are set for Thursday December 6th. Burning in the Nashville Pike Unit will take place on Friday December 7th. Visitors should expect periodic closures of trails and roads when burning operations are ongoing.

The goals of the prescribed burns are to promote the growth of native species. Fire will also recycle nutrients into the soil and help control invasive plants. The prescribed burns will be conducted only if weather conditions fall within a narrow range that provides for the greatest safety and best smoke management. Specially trained wildland firefighters from the Natchez Trace Parkway and Stones River National Battlefield will manage the prescribed burns.

Local news media will be notified as soon as the date and times for the prescribed burns are confirmed. The park will also post updates on its website at www.nps.gov/stri and its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/StonesRiverNPS/.

For more information, call Jim Lewis or Randy Anderson at 615-893-9501 during business hours Monday through Friday.