News
Mission:
To protect and promote the natural, recreational and historic resources of Voyageurs National Park.
Prescribed Burns in Voyageurs National Park
From the National Park Service, 5/21/09:
Prescribed Burns in Voyageurs National Park
Voyageurs National Park staff is planning to conduct four prescribed burns this summer to continue pine tree restoration and oak tree regeneration. Fire is a natural process within the forest ecosystem and trees such as red and jack pine are dependent upon fire for regeneration. Prescribed fire has been successfully used over the past several years to maintain and regenerate pine stands, remove dead and downed trees that would be hazardous in the event of a wildfire and establish adequate seedbeds for seedling regeneration.
The proposed burn sites include: Tar Point east of Kohler Bay, Gagnon Island located in the Voyageur Narrows, Sheep and Ram islands located on Kabetogama Lake and Whispering Pines near the Ash River Visitor Center. The locations and timing of these burns are carefully planned by park managers to ensure visitor safety, protection of private lands and structures, and confinement within the park boundary. Each burn will be conducted when temperature, wind speed, relative humidity, precipitation, and other factors fall within prescribed guidelines usually in late spring or early summer. These predetermined weather conditions insure that the burns will be at a low intensity and meet resource management objectives. If weather conditions fall within desired conditions, the prescribed burn for Sheep and Ram islands may occur as early as this weekend.
For further information please contact Fire Management Officer Scott Bressler at (218) 283-6658.