Prescribed Burns to Occur This Winter at Blackwater and Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuges

This winter the US Fish and Wildlife Service plans to burn several timber, brush and grass filled units on Blackwater and Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuges. At Blackwater – a 7-acre cutover unit on Harrisville Road – as well as various marsh grass units will be burned – as well as an 80-acre timber unit on Taylors Trail Road in Wicomico County.

At Eastern Neck – south of Rock Hall in Kent County, MD – several grassland areas will be the focus of prescribed burns. Dates have not been set as weather conditions will play a key part in their implementation. Once lit, smoke in these areas should only last about 1 to 4 days. Local notifications will be made prior to the burns.

We thank the Maryland Forest Service in advance for their assistance in these burns.  Prescribed fire is a valuable tool used to control invasive weeds, manage wildlife habitat, improve ecosystem health and reduce hazardous fuel loads.