Cumberland Island National Seashore News Release: Cumberland Island To Perform Prescribed Burn on Debris Pile

Cumberland Island National Seashore News Release

For Immediate Release

Ody Anderson    912-882-4336 ext. 303 

 

Cumberland Island to Perform Prescribed Burn on Debris Pile

Cumberland Island National Seashore announced today they are moving ahead with a fire management maintenance project on the island, which will  occur within the next 30 days.  This burn project will be conducted on the south end of the island known locally as Raccoon Keys on the debris pile. The pile covers a relatively small area of the Keys, approximately 100 feet by 20 feet and consists of dried vegetation from island landscape and right-of-way maintenance.

A carefully developed burn prescription has been approved for this project both locally and regionally.  The National Park Service must  meet a defined set of conditions before starting the prescribed burn including obtaining all burning permits from the Georgia Forestry Commission.   Fire managers will also look for acceptable burning conditions including good smoke dispersal and favorable winds which will carry the smoke out to sea as to not impact the Intracoastal Waterway, or the neighboring communities of St. Marys, Kings Bay Submarine Base, and Fernandina Beach, Florida. “Overall safety and smoke management are our primary concerns for this operation” said Cumberland Island National Seashore Superintendent Fred Boyles.

Fire managers anticipate visible smoke for several days after the initial start of the pile burn.  The burn will be conducted and monitored by trained, experienced National Park Service firefighters.  Access to the area will be restricted while the fire is active.  For more information during the burning period, please visit www.inciweb.org for periodic updates.

 

Cumberland Island National Seashore is the largest and southernmost barrier island in Georgia.  The park is the home to approximately 36,000 acres of pristine maritime forest, undeveloped beaches, freshwater lakes, wide brackish marshes and over 9,800 acres of Congressionally designated Wilderness.  The Seashore was authorized by Congress in 1972 and is administered by the National Park Service.  For more information call 912-882-4336 ext 254 or visit www.nps.gov/cuis. 

 

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