Prescribed burning at White Oak
PRESCOTT – White Oak Lake State Park manages 725 acres of land in Nevada and Ouachita Counties. As part of management activities at the site, a prescribed burn is planned in the park for some time during the days of January 30 through February 28. Park neighbors near the controlled burn areas are being notified.
The burns are being conducted by specially trained crews skilled in fire management operations. Safety is emphasized in all phases of the fire management with local fire protection representatives being involved in the planning process.
The burn will occur within prescribed parameters, including temperature, wind speed, and fuel moistures.
We plan to burn the area sometime between January 30 and February 28, but the date could change due to weather parameters.
If you have any questions or would like additional information contact White Oak Lake State Park at 870-685-2748.
White Oak Lake State Park
o White Oak Lake State Park is committed to safely and efficiently reducing hazardous forest fuels to minimize the risk of destructive wildfires.
o The Park staff cooperates with local, state, and federal partners to complete the prescribed burn safely and effectively.
o Primary reasons for burning on White Oak Lake State Park include: hazardous fuels reduction, protection of facilities, maintaining healthy vegetation, and benefitting sensitive species.
o Prescribed fires are only ignited under favorable conditions, which include consideration of weather (temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, etc.) fuel moisture content, and fire crew availability. Wildfires typically occur under severe conditions.
o White Oak Lake State Park strives to minimize the amount of emissions produced from prescribed burn programs, and to minimize impacts on local communities and park visitors.
o Smoke from a prescribed burn is typically less than that of a large wildfire.
o Prescribed fire is a valuable tool not only for fuels management, but also ecosystem restoration and to maintain healthy forests.
o Prescribed burns help to open the forest floor, removing leaf litter, dead branches, and thick underbrush, making the area more inviting to animals and more accessible for recreation.
o Ash from prescribed fire returns valuable nutrients, improving conditions for new plant growth and making those plants more nourishing for animals that eat them.
o Burned areas recover surprisingly fast. Little evidence of a burn will be obvious by the following spring.
o Fires reduce tick and snake habitat in campgrounds and along trails.
o Some prescribed burns are larger than average, it is more cost effective and a more efficient use of resources – fire managers can concentrate their efforts on one area for one day, as opposed to conducting several smaller fires in the same area over several weeks.