The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will conduct prescribed burns in northwest Iowa this spring.
Several burns will be conducted in Clay County, including at Dan Green Slough, Dewey’s Pasture, Elk Lake, Fen Valley, Hawk Valley, Little Sioux, Ocheyedan, and Tom Tuttle Marsh. Burns in Palo Alto County are scheduled at Bluewind, Fallow, and Perkins Marsh, Silver Lake, and the West Fork Wildlife area. Burns are also scheduled in Emmet and Kossuth counties.
Prescribed burns are used to improve wildlife habitat, control invasive plant species, restore and maintain native plant communities, and reduce wildlife potential. Burns vary in size from a few acres to several hundred. Burn units are typically on a four to five year rotation.
Prescribed burns typically begin mid to late morning and are completed by late afternoon or early evening between mid-March and mid-May. Burns will be conducted on a day that meets the objectives and weather conditions defined in the burn plan. Any prescribed burns that are not able to be completed this spring will be considered for the burn schedule next fall.
