Chickasaw Nra Plans to Resume Prescribed Burn, February 16, 2013
Incident: Red Cedar Reduction Prescribed Fire
Released: 2/15/2013
Chickasaw NRA will resume a series of prescribed fires starting on Saturday, February 16th and lasting until February 26th (depending on weather conditions). The burns will occur at The Point, Five Lakes, Hunting, Golf Course and South Boundary areas of the park. The prescribed fires will burn slash from thinned eastern red cedar cut during the summer and fall of 2010 and 2012. Native to Oklahoma, eastern red cedar is extremely invasive. The tree species creates a wildfire hazard, displaces other species from the natural ecosystem, impairs local air quality by producing allergens, and contributes to the general decline of the local water table. Under natural conditions eastern red cedar is limited by periodic natural fires.
Weather permitting, fire managers plan to burn in the Five Lakes area on Saturday, February 16. The multi-use trail will be closed for public safety during the burn. Light winds from the west will move smoke to the east. Ignition may begin about 4:00pm and should be complete by about 9:00pm.
