City of Frederick, MD
11/10/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/10/2025 11:54
Prescribed Burn Scheduled in City Watershed
A prescribed burn is scheduled to take place in the City Watershed property off Gambrill Park Road between November 17 and 21, 2025.
The purpose is to restore a stand of pitch pine that is about 95 years old, at the end of its life span. The prescribed burn will reduce the duff layer and competing vegetation, which will help the seeds germinate. Pitch pine seeds are a nutritious food source for wildlife and burning will help the new generation of seedlings to take root.
The fire will create smoke on Catoctin Mountain, but the burn will be a low, controlled flame. Maryland Department of Natural Resources fire staff will be on hand to direct the fire. They will have trucks to pull water from the fire pond adjacent to the burn area and equipment to help enlarge fire lines if needed. There are no homes or other structures in this area.
Gambrill Park Road will be closed between its junction with Fishing Creek Road and Gate R6 during the burn. All trails in the northeast section of the watershed also will be closed.
The prescribed burn will proceed only if conditions are favorable on a date in the one-week window.
Check the map for burn locations and temporary road closures. For questions, contact Jenny Willoughby at [email protected] or call the City's DPW Dispatch at 301.600.1440.
City of Frederick, MD published this content on November 10, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on November 10, 2025 at 17:55 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]