FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 8, 2018
Contact: Tim Nyander
Utilities Director
479.575.8386
tnyander@fayetteville-ar.gov
Prescribed Burn for Today - Thursday, March 8
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Contractors for the City of Fayettevilleare conducting a prescribed burn today - Thursday, March 8 for approximately two hours - on at the wetland mitigation site known as Woolsey Wet Prairie Sanctuary, located immediately north of the West Side Wastewater Treatment Plant at 15 S. Broyles Avenue. Specifically, the burn will take place on a 64.5-acre tract that borders the west side of Broyles Road, to the east of 54th Avenue, and to the south of Persimmon Street.
Wildland Habitat, an experienced and trained burn contractor will conduct the burn under supervision of the City’s environmental consultant, Bruce Shackleford, President of ECO Inc. The City of Fayetteville and City of Farmington Fire Departments have been notified, and will be on standby status to assist, if needed. Subsequent to completion of the prescribed burn, the burn crew will assure that all sparks and embers have been fully extinguished.
The prescribed burn serves as a part of vegetation management efforts to maintain a restored remnant wetland prairie plant community dominated by native plant species. This provides a unique natural resource that few communities have the opportunity to enjoy. In 2005, baseline monitoring identified 47 plant species at the site. As of the end of the 2017 growing season, 478 plant species have been observed, 11 of which are species of special concern that are tracked by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission.
A containment line has been established to maintain the fire within the designated burn area. The public is welcome to attend the prescribed burn, however, bystanders will be required to stay behind the containment line. This will be the eleventh prescribed burn at Woolsey Wet Prairie Sanctuary since 2008. Being a prairie grassland/forb fire, there will not be long-term smoldering as occurs with forest fires.
In 2014, the City of Fayetteivlle's Media Services Department created a 30-minute documentary about prescribed burns at the Woolsey Wet Prairie Sanctuary. The film can be view at this link.
Should you have any questions concerning the prescribed burn, please contact the City’s environmental consultant, Bruce Shackleford, at 501-765-9009 or bruceshackleford@sbcglobal.net; or Seth Pickens at 479-518-1819 or sethpickens@ecoarkansas.com.
We appreciate your patience and cooperation in this matter.
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