A prescribed burn is scheduled to take place for up to four hours on Monday, March 18 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.
Officials said both the Fayetteville and Farmington Fire Departments have been notified and will be on standby to assist, if needed. Long-term smoldering is not expected. After the work is complete, the burn crew will check to make sure all sparks and embers have been fully extinguished, according to a news release.
A containment line will be established to maintain the fire within the designated burn area. The public is welcome to attend the burn, but bystanders will be required to stay behind the containment line. This is the eleventh prescribed burn at the sanctuary since 2008.
The burns serve as a vegetation management effort to maintain the plant community. Before the burns began, 47 plant species were identified at the site. The area has since grown to include 482 plant species, 11 of which are of special concern and tracked by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission.
The city’s Media Services Department created a 28-minute documentary call “Woolsey Wet Prairie: After the Burn.” Watch it on YouTube, or view it above.
