The nearly 22-hundred acre prescribed burn planned for this spring in the southwestern corner of Wind Cave National Park has been postponed.
Park spokesperson Tom Farrell says the window of opportunity for proper burn conditions was lost.
“Spring burns are always difficult to get in,” says Farrell. “You have to wait for the grasses to dry out from the winter, but you have to start the fire before it greens up too much in the spring. So, we tried to get a burn in last weekend but one of the conditions we look at is smoke dispersal. And the smoke dispersal was very poor. I would have smoked out some of the nearby towns.”
Farrell adds part of the area that was designated to be burned hasn’t been touched since the park opened in 1903.
Farrell says the prescribed burn for Wind Cave National Park is slated to be re-scheduled in the fall.