The City of Fayetteville will be conducting a prescribed burn tomorrow, March 18, on the wetland mitigation site immediately north of the West Side Wastewater Treatment Plant at 15 South Broyles Avenue. Specifically, the burn will be located on a 50-acre tract that borders the west side of Broyles Road, is east of 54th Avenue, and south of Persimmon Street.

The purpose of the controlled burn is for vegetation management of the wetland plant community within the City’s mitigation site, as is required to comply with the Corps of Engineers requirements for site maintenance. The prescribed burn is expected to commence as weather permits some time in the next 30 days, and will take one day to complete. An experienced and trained burn contractor will conduct the burn under supervision of the City’s environmental consultant, Bruce Shackleford, of ECO Inc. City of Fayetteville and City of Farmington Fire Departments will be notified, and will be on standby status to assist if needed. Subsequent to completion of the prescribed burn, the burn crew will assure that all sparks and embers have been fully extinguished.

The final result of these vegetation management efforts will be to restore a remnant wetland prairie that will be composed of native plant species. This will provide a unique natural resource that few neighborhoods have the opportunity to enjoy. This burn is part of the ongoing maintenance that has seen vegetation at this site flourish. In 2005, there were 47 identified plant species at the site. Today, there are 379 species.

A containment line will be established to maintain the fire within the designated burn area. The public is welcome to attend the prescribed burn; however, bystanders will be required to stay behind the containment line.

Should you have any questions concerning the prescribed burn, please contact the City’s environmental consultant, Bruce Shackleford, at 501-765-9009.

We appreciate your patience and cooperation in this matter.