Meeting to discuss prescribed fire activities

The USDA Forest Service will host a prescribed fire open house for the public on Tuesday, January 24 in Walhalla, South Carolina. The free community drop-in event will be held at the Walhalla Depot, 211 S. College St., from 4 to 7 p.m. Local Forest Service staff will be on hand at the drop-in to discuss future prescribed fire activities on the nearby Andrew Pickens Ranger District of the Sumter National Forest in Oconee County, South Carolina. The nearly 90,000-acre Andrew Pickens Ranger District represents the largest swath of forested mountain land in South Carolina. The Andrew Pickens contains the National Wild and Scenic Chattooga River, that forms the border between South Carolina and Georgia. “For the past 40 years, we’ve used prescribed fire as a cost-effective management tool on the Andrew Pickens to reduce forest fuels and lower wildfire risks. Prescribed fire is also used to restore native ecosystems to benefit a wide variety of plant and animal species,” said Wes Bentley, Fire Management Officer for the Andrew Pickens Ranger District. “We’d like a chance at this community event to talk to the public to help shape our future prescribed fire activities on the District.”  The Southern Appalachian Mountains are rich in biodiversity and many of the region’s species evolved with fire—whether from Native Americans setting fires or lightning strikes, Bentley said. Prescribed fire is also used on the Andrew Pickens for active timber management and to help convert pine plantations to more natural mixed hardwood/pine forests. Several species found in the Southern Appalachians are fire-adapted including shortleaf pine, table mountain pine, northern red oak and smooth coneflower. Buffalo, elk and other grassland species were also historically found in our mountains when fire occurred frequently on the landscape. Setting controlled fires in the mountains for ecological benefits is an important management tool, after decades of fire suppression in the region that meant nearly all fire was quickly put out on the landscape. There are always challenges to planning prescribed fires, Bentley said, including smoke management, current and predicted weather, forest moisture levels, firefighter safety and public safety. The public will have a chance to talk to Forest Service staff on a number of areas related to prescribed fire on the Andrew Pickens at the drop-in event in Walhalla. These include: forestry/ecology, wildlife biology/plants, recreation/trails, fire/fuels, soil/water, and a general overview of the District. “This is a free, informal event for the public to drop by and talk one-on-one with our local staff,” Bentley said. There is no reservation required for the Jan. 24 event. For more information on the drop-in event, call (864) 638-9568. The Andrew Pickens Ranger District has a wide variety of programs and work across many areas including wildlife, fisheries, fire, timber, recreation, special uses and lands.  The management on the district emphasizes habitat restoration and enhancement for a diverse range of wildlife and plant species with an emphasis on rare, threatened, endangered and sensitive species. Popular activities on the district include hunting, fishing, hiking to the many waterfalls, fall color sightseeing, camping, horseback riding, and whitewater paddling on the Chattooga River. For more information about the Francis Marion & Sumter National Forests check out USFS’s website and social media.  To learn more about the USDA Forest Service’s Mission and core values, take a look at this video outlining “This Is Who We Are.”