Forest officials plan to begin prescribed burns this month

Posted 9:01AM on Saturday, February 13, 2016

February is the time of year managers with the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests begin prescribed fires in an effort to improve wildlife habitat and a healthy forest.

During this year's prescribed burn season, about 5,961 acres across the national forest in Fannin and Union counties is slated to be, "treated," with prescribed fire, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

"It's a very common location. We routinely burn across the North Georgia mountains, and our ten-year average across the entire forest is right around 30,000 acres," Holly Krake, public affairs with the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, said.

The sites are selected after months of planning for just the right mix of weather and ground conditions, according to Jason Demas, Fire Management Officer for the Blue Ridge Ranger District.

"Then and only then will we use fire to restore the forest and

protect our communities," Demas stated in a media release.

Officials said when conditions are right, firefighters actually patrol each fire to make sure it's meeting safety and forest goals. They also work to keep smoke impacts at a minimum.

The burns are a team effort, with personnel in addition to the forest service, including the Georgia Forestry Commission, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Nature Conservancy and local county fire departments.

"We use a variety of tools, including hand ignitions and helicopters to achieve these larger burns, and we do that a lot with our partners," Krake added.

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Prescribed fire plans by priority:

Brawley Mountain - 350 acres

Fannin County: 10 miles SE of Morganton, GA off

Hwy 60 at Wilscot Gap off of Forest Service Road 45.

Note: The Benton MacKaye Trail will temporarily be

closed for approximately four hours from the Brawley

Mountain Tower to a ½ mile west along the trail.

Spencer Mountain - 1,308 acres

Union County: 7 miles SW of Blairsville, GA on the

north side of the Coopers Creek WMA. The burn unit

is located between Forest Service Roads 4D, 4 and 39.

Note: The Duncan Ridge Trail will temporarily be

closed during this burn for approximately eight hours

from Mulkey Gap to Bryant Gap

Addie Gap - 551 acres

Union County: 5 miles N of Suches, GA in the

Coopers Creek WMA.

Bryant Creek/Duncan Ridge - 1,829 acres

Union County: 6 miles N of Suches, GA in the

Coopers Creek WMA, off of Forest Service Road 39

and 33A. Note: The Duncan Ridge Trail will temporarily be

closed during this burn for approximately eight hours

from Mulkey Gap to Bryant Gap.

Little Rock Creek - 1,213 acres

Fannin County: 20 miles SW of Blairsville, GA

located in the area of Hwy 60 and Deep Hole

Campground off of Rock Creek Road, from the GA

DNR check station to FS Road 69C, in the Blue Ridge

WMA.

Turkey Farm - 321 acres

Fannin County: 20 miles SW of Blairsville, GA

located in the area of Aska Road around Fish Hook

Point.

Davenport OHV - 389 acres

Union County: 7 miles NW of Blairsville, GA located

on the west side of Lake Nottely off of Hwy 325. This burn unit is located in the Davenport OHV Recreation

Area.

*Additional acres may be burned pending favorable conditions.

source: Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests