National Parks Service
BLACKSBURG, S.C. — Kings Mountain National Military Park plans to conduct a series of prescribed burns within the park as conditions allow, beginning this week and continuing through April 30.
Locations to be burned are as follows:
- Battlefield burn unit – 175-acre area located between the park visitor center and Battleground Drive (the main park road, turning from Highway 216 into Battleground Drive as it enters the park). The unit is bordered by Colonial Road to the north, the paved battlefield trail to the east, with Battleground Drive serving as the remainder of the eastern, southern and western boundaries.
- Eastline burn unit – 272-acre area that is located at the eastern boundary of the park, adjacent to Kings Mountain State Park. The unit is bordered by a tributary of Long Branch to the south and the midway unit to the west.
- Howser burn unit – 31-acre area which is bordered by private property and Rock House Road to the north and east. The unit includes the Henry Howser House and Mary Morris House.
Wildland fire crews are preparing these units for safe and effective prescribed burns, in accordance with the approved fire management plan. Surrounding communities may experience minimal smoke and visibility impacts during the burns. Some access to trails and grounds within the burn areas may also be temporarily restricted during burn activities for visitor and wildland fire crew safety.
The timing of the prescribed burn implementation is dependent upon a variety of conditions including temperature, relative humidity, fuel moisture, wind speed and wind direction. The safety of firefighters and the public is the number one priority of all NPS wildland fire management activities. Informational updates and alerts regarding prescribed burn activities in the park will be posted on the park website and social media.
Fire is an essential and natural process that has shaped the landscape of Kings Mountain National Military Park for thousands of years. Prescribed burns are conducted at the park to reduce the risk of wildland fire and restore native vegetation and historic landscapes. All areas of historic, cultural and ecological importance are identified and protected throughout the planning and implementation of prescribed burns.
Kings Mountain National Military Park preserves the battle site of the first major patriot victory to occur after the British invasion of Charleston, South Carolina. Recreational trails, abundant natural resources, and interpretive programs that share the stories of heroic citizens who fought in the conflict are told here. The nearly 4,000-acre park was established on March 3, 1931. For more information about Kings Mountain National Military Park, visit the park webpage atwww.nps.gov/kimo and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kingsmountainNPS/
Robert Holmes
Park Ranger
National Park Service
Kings Mountain National Military Park
Blacksburg SC
Wednesday-Sunday
9AM-5PM EST
