Prescribed fires will take place between this month and mid-April at two conservation parks to help restore natural habitats.
Montgomery Parks will conduct fires at River Road Shale Barrens Conservation Park in Poolesville and Serpentine Barrens Conservation Park in the Travilah area, per a release.
The fires will remove dead plant material so sunlight and rain can reach the soil to help regrowth. Montgomery Parks said the exact date of the fires will be posted online.
“The prescribed fires will be executed under strict requirements outlined in a Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service-approved prescribed burn plan,” Montgomery Parks Principal Natural Resources Specialist Ryan Colliton said in a written statement. “Fires are a natural process which support diversity of habitats and are essential to maintaining fire-adapted habitats and their associated species.”
Smoke will be visible but should rise above surrounding areas. Fires will last about three hours and staff will stay on-site to extinguish smoldering materials.
According to Montgomery Parks, trained staff will follow strict criteria like weather, and fires will not be conducted if a parameter is not met.
Feature photo courtesy Montgomery Parks
