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National Fire Plan Success Story

Three Burns, Three Resource Objectives
Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
National Fire Plan - Rehabilitation

Picture of Jim Barnes and Missy and Norm Forder listening at the Beahms Gap Prescribed Fire briefing.
Jim Barnes and Missy and Norm Forder listen during the Beahms Gap Prescribed Fire briefing. NPS photo by Barb Stewart.

Picture of firefighter KelllyAnn Gorman lighting the prescribed fire with a drip torch, another firefighter in the background looking on.
NPS firefighter KellyAnn Gorman lights a line on the Big Meadows Prescribed Fire. NPS photo by Barb Stewart.

Fire managers successfully completed three prescribed burns in Shenandoah National Park in spring 2007. Two were first-time projects, one for vista maintenance and the other to promote oak regeneration; the third was part of a continuing effort to maintain Big Meadow as a meadow.

At Beahms Gap, firefighters burned 4.3 acres to help restore the historic vista along this section of the park's Skyline Drive. Located in the northern third of the park, the burn unit included live and dead brush as well as grasses. It burned hot, as planned. Not planned was the wildfire that broke out later the same day. Fortunately, the fire at Beahms Gap had quieted, allowing a group from there to travel almost 30 miles south to contain and control the small wildfire that evening.

Near Pass Mountain Access Road, fire managers treated 67 acres to promote oak regeneration and recruitment. This complex, first-time burn presented many challenges that were well met by planning, cooperation and flexibility. Several NPS areas, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the US Forest Service, Americorps, Job Corps, and the Commonwealth of Virginia contributed firefighters or contingency forces.

At Big Meadow this year, staff burned 57 acres to maintain the meadow. New participants and new observers brought different perspectives. This included a fire scientist from a national laboratory who observed the burn, taking another step towards developing a partnership that may lead to improved fire behavior modeling.

Contact: Barb Stewart, Fire Communication and Education Specialist, NPS Northeast and National Capital Regions
Phone: (434) 220-9065