GOLDEN POND, Ky. (April 27, 2026) – Fire Management officials with Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area have concluded the prescribed fire burning season for 2026. Fire crews successfully treated 14,152 acres across LBL to improve forest health.
Through 20 separate prescribed burns, LBL worked to remove leaf litter and downed limbs, improve wildlife habitat and clear the way for native plants and grasses to spread naturally.
“We were thrilled to put good fire back on this many acres of the LBL landscape for the numerous benefits we all will enjoy,” said Garrison Lupton, Fire Management Officer. “The increase in numbers of acres treated over last year met our objectives, will support the overall health of the forest and helped grow a well-trained fire staff.”
This season saw the first entry of prescribed fire in the 2021 tornado-impacted area of Stewart County; however, conditions did not allow for any activity in the Lyon County tornado zone. Work was also done to knock back kudzu and other invasive species including an area near Moss Creek along the Woodlands Trace. Burns also reduced woody debris piles near campgrounds and treated multiple fields to maintain grassy open lands.
LBL staff also hosted several groups who assisted with this season’s burns including a Forest Service crew from Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in Washington, two training teams form the National Interagency Prescribed Fire Training Center in Oklahoma, a Southeast Conservation Corps team and an AmeriCorps NCCC crew.
Crews plan all prescribed burns well in advance and make every effort to mitigate impacts on the public, to include smoke modeling and coordinating with recreational activities on LBL. This planning includes everything from fuel moisture on the ground to relative humidity, fire activity modeling and wind speeds at the surface and aloft. The extensive planning process ensures the right prescription for the landscape at the right time.
“There is a lot of work that goes into these treatments, and we’re already planning for the next prescribed burning season,” said Lupton. “I’m very proud of our staff for staying safe, collaborating so well and working to better the resources of LBL.”
