Just when images of Smokey Bear and his prominent campaign hat come to mind and tell you to prevent wildfires, it seems some fire is a good thing. That’s why, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation will be lighting a prescribed burn on more than 1,600 acres in Burke and Rutherford counties during the month of March. The match will be dropped when appropriate weather conditions occur in those western NC regions.
When the match drops, 631 acres on South Mountains State Park and 1,007 acres on South Mountains Game Land will begin to burn and ultimately aid in the ecosystem restoration. The fires will also improve wildlife habitat and reduce brush and debris that can cause dangerous wildfires. The carefully planned and maintained fire could last two to three days.
Fire once occurred naturally across North Carolina and other southeast states. Low-intensity fires burned every few years, fueled by grass, leaves, pine straw, and other forest debris. Those flames kept the forest open, allowing sunlight to penetrate to its floor and reducing buildup of dangerous fuel loads. Controlled burns offer many habitat benefits for some wildilfe species, such as quail and deer. Fire suppression altered the landscape, allowing fuels to accumulate and putting people and communities in jeopardy.