Courtesy photo
A prescribed burn is scheduled to take place for about two hours on Thursday, March 8 in west Fayetteville.
City officials said contractors with Wildland Habitat will conduct the burn at the Woolsey Wet Prairie Sanctuary, located immediately north of the West Side Wastewater Treatment Plant at 15 S. Broyles Avenue.
Specifically, the burn will take place on a 64.5-acre tract that borders the west side of Broyles Avenue, to the east of 54th Avenue, and to the south of Persimmon Street.
From the city:
The prescribed burn serves as a part of vegetation management efforts to maintain a restored remnant wetland prairie plant community dominated by native plant species. This provides a unique natural resource that few communities have the opportunity to enjoy. In 2005, baseline monitoring identified 47 plant species at the site. As of the end of the 2017 growing season, 478 plant species have been observed, 11 of which are species of special concern that are tracked by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission.
The public is welcome to watch the prescribed burn, however, bystanders will be required to stay behind an established containment line.
Officials said both the Fayetteville and Farmington fire departments have been notified, and will be on standby status to assist if needed. Once the work is complete, the burn crew will make sure that all sparks and embers have been fully extinguished, according to a news release.
For more information, call the city’s environmental consultant, Bruce Shackleford, at 501-765-9009.
