Land Between the Lakes’ Fire Management program supports the National Recreation Area’s mission of protecting and managing resources for optimum yield of outdoor recreation and environmental education. Fire is a natural part of a healthy forest ecosystem and a valuable tool in helping create and maintain diverse habitats for a variety of plants and animals.
- Fire Management Plan PDF
- Spring Fire Season – February 15th until April 30th
- Fall Fire Season – October 1st until December 15th
- See the Alerts Page for updates on prescribed burns
- Southern Region Prescribed Burns Map
- National Fire Danger Rating System
Be Fire Safe By Doing the Following:
- Before going hiking or camping, check the alerts page for fire restrictions or area closures.
- Plan ahead and prepare — know your route and tell a responsible adult where you are going and when you plan to return.
- Use alternatives to campfires during periods of high fire danger, even if there are no restrictions. Nine out of 10 wildfires are caused by humans.
- If you do use a campfire, make sure it is fully extinguished before leaving the area — be sure it is cold to the touch.
- If you are using a portable stove, make sure the area is clear of grasses and other debris that may catch fire. Prevent stoves from tipping and starting a fire.
- Practice Leave No Trace principles — pack out cigarette butts and burned materials from your camping area.
- Beware of sudden changes in the weather or changing weather conditions. For example, if you see a thunderstorm approaching, consider leaving the area. Fires started by lightning strikes are not unusual.
- If you see smoke, fire, or suspicious activities, note the location as best you can and report it to authorities. Call 911 or Forest Service Law Enforcement at 877-861-2457.
- Be careful of parking or driving your vehicle in tall, dry, vegetation, such as grass. The hot underside of the vehicle can start a fire.
Prescribed Burning at Land Between the Lakes
A wildfire and a prescribed burn differ greatly. Wildfire, an unplanned event, can be very destructive to the forest and its inhabitants, including damaging the forest floor and preventing new growth. Prescribed fire is always planned, conducted by qualified personnel following predetermined weather parameters. Prescribed fire is closely managed. Fire managers utilize natural, constructed and existing barriers such as roads, trails, and streams that prevent fire from spreading outside its intended boundary.
Prescribed fire has numerous purposes, including restoring the natural role of fire back on the landscape, reducing non-native and invasive tree and plant species, benefitting threatened and endangered species, and reducing hazardous fuels. Conducting prescribed burns reduces the fuel load in a forest which decreases the chance of a wildfire occurring, and reduces the intensity, size, and destructive capability of a wildfire if one does occur. Land Between the Lakes protects, maintains, and enhances natural and cultural resources during each and every prescribed burn.
If you would like to learn more about fire management at Land Between the Lakes, please contact LBLInfo@usda.gov.
