Prescribed burns planned at Lake Fayetteville

Workers with Oklahoma-based Chloeta Fire conduct a controlled burn at Lake Fayetteville in April 2010.

Courtesy photo

City officials are planning two prescribed burns to aid in prairie restoration around Lake Fayetteville in the coming weeks.

No dates are set for the burns due to a county-wide burn ban that went into effect earlier this month, but officials wanted to get the word out in advance. Once the burn ban is lifted, expect burns on the lake dam and on approximately 40 acres north of the Environmental Study Center off Lakeview Drive.

The paved and nature trails from Veteran’s Memorial Park to the Lake Fayetteville Marina will be closed while the burn is conducted on the dam. The paved and nature trails from the Environmental Study Center north around to the Botanical Gardens will be closed while the burn is conducted on the 40-acre prairie restoration site. For safety reasons, the public will not be allowed in these areas while the burns are being conducted.

Oklahoma-based Chloeta Fire will plan and conduct both burns. A team of wildland fire professionals will ensure that the burns are conducted with minimal impact to the public, according to a news release.

For more information, call the city’s Parks and Recreation division at 479-444-3471.