Large Prescribed Fire Near Zavalla Expected to Burn 11,800 Acres

🔥A Prescribed Burn Will Take Place Thursday and Friday East of Zavalla

🔥Approximately 11,800 Acres of Undergrowth Will Be Affected

🔥Smokey Conditions May Affect Travel on State Highway 63

Nearly 12,000 acres of undergrowth in the Angelina National Forest are marked for a prescribed burn on April 17 and 18.

Federal fire management specialists with the United States Department of Agriculture's Forest Service will be conducting the controlled event in the Upland Island Wilderness area on the Angelina National Forest, Angelina Sabine Ranger District.

This burn region is located about 12 miles east-southeast of Zavalla, or about 7 miles northwest of the Boykin Springs Recreation area.

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Will This Cause Travel Hazards?

Prevailing winds are expected to be out of the south at 5-10 mph, with some higher gusts near 25 mph. This could carry smoke over State Highway 63, as well as Forest Service Roads 303 and 314.

Highway 63, along with Forest Service Roads 303 and 314, will form the boundaries of the burn. Forest Service fire crews and equipment may be near roadways.

If you encounter smoke on roadways, slow down, turn on your low-beam headlights, and use caution when encountering prescribed burning operations and smoke.

What's The Point of Prescribed Burns?

Prescribed burns are low-intensity fires, ignited by trained personnel, to remove excess vegetation and dead wood that would enable wildfires to burn hotter and longer.

Prescribed fire plays an important role in the health of forest ecosystems. Applying prescribed fire on the land at the right place, at the right time, under the right conditions benefits the land and the surrounding communities.