Prescribed fire returns to Gettysburg National Military Park

Contact: Jason Martz

GETTYSBURG, Pa. - Gettysburg National Military Park staff and U.S. Wildland Fire Service (USWFS) staff are preparing to conduct a prescribed fire on April 8, weather permitting. Park and USWFS staff plan to burn portions of the west slope of Little Round Top (52 acres) and the Munshower field (36 acres) immediately north of Little Round Top. Prescribed fire activity will be completed as soon as all safety protocols are met.

Prescribed fire is one of the many tools the park uses to maintain the pattern of open versus wooded land across the park landscape, similar to what existed in 1863. This element of the landscape contributes to the visitor experience by allowing visitors to visualize and understand how the battle unfolded and how terrain shaped the fighting. Prescribed fire also helps create and maintain habitat for wildlife as well as suppressing non-native, invasive plant species, giving native vegetation a competitive advantage. Several national parks in Pennsylvania and Civil War battlefields regularly utilize prescribed fire, including Valley Forge National Historical Park, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Monocacy National Battlefield, Antietam National Battlefield, and Manassas National Battlefield Park.

Field and weather conditions will determine the exact duration of the operation, as we only conduct prescribed fires under specific parameters to ensure public safety. Vehicle traffic in the area may experience delays due to smoke, but fire operations will be scheduled to minimize impacts. Some visitor facilities, trails, and public roads will be temporarily closed during the prescribed fire.

Temporary Road Closures

To ensure the safety of all firefighters and park visitors, multiple roads will be closed to all traffic for the duration of the prescribed fire operation. Visitors can find up-to-date information on road closures on the park website at www.nps.gov/gett. These will include:

• South Confederate Avenue.

• Sykes Avenue.

• Warren Avenue.

• Crawford Avenue.

• Wright Avenue.

• Sedgwick Avenue. Closed from Wheatfield Road to United States Avenue.

• Wheatfield Road. Wheatfield Road will be closed to all vehicles from the Peach Orchard at Sickles Avenue to Taneytown Road.

Additional roads and trails may need to close temporarily if smoke conditions reduce visibility to ensure firefighters and public safety.
See attached map for more details.

Temporary Hiking and Horse Trail Closures

All trails on and around Little Round Top will be closed for visitors' safety. All hiking trails to the east of Sedgwick Avenues will be closed for visitors' safety. The horse trail that runs south of United States Avenue from the Trostle farm to the intersection of United States Avenue and Sedgwick Avenue will also be closed.
See attached map for more details.

News Media Parking and Public Viewing

For interviews and coverage of the Little Round Top prescribed fire, the designated viewing area will be on Ayres Avenue. News media only may park along Ayers Avenue. The public may walk along Wheatfield Road between Emmitsburg and Ayres Avenue and may observe the burn from Ayres Avenue only. No facilities will be available at this location.
See attached map for more details.

Learn More
Learn more about our long-range fire management plan and view photo albums and videos of past prescribed fires on our Prescribed Fire web page at https://go.nps.gov/PrescribedFires.

www.nps.gov

About the National Park Service: Established in 1916, the National Park Service preserves America's most treasured natural and cultural places for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of current and future generations. Learn more at nps.gov.