A few weeks ago I was attending an event at Staunton River State Park and a guest said, "Gee it looks like you had a fire, what happened?" The guest was a little shocked when the park staff responded, "Yeah isn't that cool, we burned that area." Wait, what?

Our Virginia State Parks resource management team have shared the following information on the reason we do prescribed burns in our parks. 

History of Fire in Virginia

Whether caused by lightning or by the hand of man, fire has been a part of the natural world for centuries. In Virginia, prior to European settlement, American Indians set fires intentionally for hunting, protection, warfare, agriculture, vegetation management, and food gathering. On flat terrain, fires would burn over large areas until some natural barrier or rainfall event was encountered.

Today, unrestrained fire represents a hazard to public safety and property, but the benefits of carefully prescribed and controlled fire can still be realized. Fire is recognized as a cost-effective land management tool by silviculturalists, wildlife managers, and other natural resource managers. Prescribed burning is practiced today using time tested methods and rigid safety specifications.

What is Prescribed or Controlled Burning?

Prescribed or controlled burning is the intentional use of fire at a particular time and place, applied only under pre-established conditions and specifications, to accomplish an ecological or resource management goal. The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) adheres to stringent protocols for implementing prescribed fires. First a plan is written with strict parameters including safety, staffing, equipment, burn objectives, contingencies and weather. This plan moves through a lengthy approval process before it can be implemented. The plan also includes mandatory notifications of DCR staff, Department of Forestry (DOF) staff, Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) staff, and local emergency agencies the day the plan is to be carried out.

Why Do We Use Prescribed Fire In State Parks?

DCR uses prescribed burning when necessary to maintain or restore fire-dependent natural communities. Identification of fire-dependent natural communities is based on The Natural Communities of Virginia Classification of Ecological Community Groups developed by DCR’s Division of Natural Heritage. This guideline can be found here.

The diversity of these communities can be manipulated through changing fire frequency. For instance, grassland communities, such as prairies, savannas, and woodlands, need fire frequently, and prescribed burns may be scheduled every two to three years. Oak forests, on the other hand, may need frequent burns during the restoration phase, but less frequent fire during the maintenance phase.

In addition, regular burning benefits Virginia’s State Parks by reducing fuel loads, creating aesthetically pleasing open landscapes, encouraging impressive displays of wildflowers, and leading to increases in wildlife and wildlife viewing opportunities.