The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will be conducting prescribed burns this spring on wildlife management areas.
Areas scheduled for prescribed burns include Pickerel Lake in Buena Vista County…Dewey’s Pasture, Hawk Valley, Tom Tuttle Marsh, Little Sioux, Fen Valley, Elk Lane, Barringer Slough, and Dan Green Slough in Clay County…and Blue Wings Marsh, Dewey’s Pasture, West Fork, and Fallow Marsh in Palo Alto County.
According to the DNR, prescribed burns are used to improve wildlife habitat, control invasive plant species, restore and maintain native plant communities, and reduce wildfire potential. Burn units are typically conducted 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.
