By Scotts Bluff National Monument
GERING- The Eagle Rock prescribed fire at Scotts Bluff National Monument is scheduled for late April into early May, depending upon weather and fuel conditions. This 45-acre prescribed fire unit encompasses monument land located on the north side of Old Oregon Trail Road, west of the monument visitor center and administration buildings complex in the vicinity of Eagle Rock. It is expected to take one day to complete the burn, with firefighters monitoring the project and its effectiveness for several days following.
Firefighters from the National Park Service Northern Great Plains Fire Management Office are currently preparing the perimeter of the burn unit and putting protection in place near monument structures and along the swales that mark the route of the Oregon, California, and Pony Express Trails through the monument. The primary purpose of the fire is to reduce hazardous fuels and remove non-native vegetation. A reduction in herbaceous fuels will allow firefighters better opportunities to control future wildfires, which could threaten monument buildings or escape onto private lands.
Residents living near the monument boundary may be impacted by smoke, depending upon wind and inversion, and are advised to keep their windows closed on the day of the burn. As weather and fuel moisture come into prescription, additional information on the exact date and time of the burn will be released.
The Scotts Bluff National Monument visitor center is currently open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The summit road is open from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. All Monument trails are open from sunrise until sunset. Additional information about Scotts Bluff National Monument can be obtained at the visitor center, by calling 308-436-9700 or by visiting our website at http://www.nps.gov/scbl or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/scottsbluffnps.