National Park Service Will Conduct Two Prescribed Burns At Little River Canyon National Preserve

Favorable conditions will allow the National Park Service (NPS) to conduct two prescribed burns at Little River Canyon National Preserve this Thursday through Sunday, March 4th – 7th, along the CR 861 Unit and the Kral’s Complex Unit (see map below).

The 277 acre CR 861 Unit is along Cherokee County Road 861 to the east rim of the canyon down to the TVA powerlines. County Road 861 will remain open, but NPS staff will be posted at County Road 861/AL Highway 35 and at the TVA powerlines on County Road 861
to inform drivers to turn on headlights and drive very slowly for smoky conditions and for
their safety as well as that of firefighters.

The 365 acre Kral’s Complex Unit is along AL Highway 35 and AL Highway 176 south to Mushroom Rock. AL Highway 176 (Little River Canyon Rim Parkway) will be blocked at AL Highway 35 and Mushroom rock. Park visitors will still be able to access the Little River
Canyon Rim Parkway from the south end of AL Highway 176 at Eberhart Point and by
DeKalb County Rod 255 near Canyon View overlook.

NPS Fire Management crews may conduct a test-burn on Thursday, March 4th, and will conduct mop-up operations on Sunday, March 7th – expect smoke during these processes.

The primary goal of the prescribed burn is to reduce hazardous fuel loads, restore and maintain natural landscapes, and promote and improve the health of the park ecosystem. Our professional team of fire fighters are led by the Mississippi River Fire Zone, out of
Natchez Trace Parkway and assisted by NPS Fire Management crews from Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and other federal agencies.

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