Sep 22, 2005 - 06:01:34 CDT
A 2,500-acre prescribed burn is planned at the south unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park to restore grasslands and control pesky plants, the National Park Service says.The burn - the biggest ever proposed at the park - is planned sometime during the first two weeks of October, depending on weather conditions, said Bruce Kaye, a park spokesman.
Billings County has a burn ban in effect, and some residents are worried the blaze could get out of control and blacken private land.
"We understand their concerns," Kaye said.
Park officials met with the Billings County Commission on Tuesday to discuss the proposed burn, which has been two years in planning, said Beth Card, the Park Service's fire management officer.
Jim Arthaud, a Billings County commissioner, said the region is ripe for fires. "We've had a wet summer so there is a real high fuel load," he said.
However, the commission likely will endorse the Park Service's plan to torch the grasslands, despite fears from some local residents, he said.
"We're probably going to let them do it, but if the fire gets out of hand, we probably won't be re-elected," Arthaud said.
Card said the burn had been planned for spring, but "fuel conditions and weather conditions were not right so we bumped it back to fall."
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