A 135-acre prescribed fire at Valley Forge National Historical Park will begin this Tuesday morning, April 2nd. We will also burn on Wednesday April 3rd if conditions permit. Local fire departments, police departments, Montgomery County and Chester County 911 have been notified. Complete information on the fire is available at http://go.nps.gov/vafofire
WHAT:
A 135-acre prescribed fire is scheduled to begin April 2nd in the vicinity of PA Route 23 and Gulph Road within Valley Forge National Historical Park. This controlled burn will be conducted outside of normal commuting hours but the public should expect to see smoke and fire adjacent to trails and roadways. Federal and state authorities are conducting the prescribed fire to reduce the encroachment of invasive plant species in park meadows.
WHEN:
Tuesday April 2nd and Wednesday April 3rd, beginning at approximately 10AM. The starting of the prescribed fire on these dates/times is dependent on conditions being within required weather parameters such as wind, temperature, and relative humidity.
CLOSURES & PUBLIC VIEWING:
Public Viewing Areas: Varnum’s Picnic Area and Artillery Park, Portions of Joseph Plumb Martin Trail (Field #1), Maurice Stephens House Parking Lot and Joseph Plumb Martin Trail Along PA Route 23 (Field #23)
Public Closures for Field #1: Von Steuben Statue and Maurice Stephen House Parking Areas, North Inner Line Drive, Grand Parade Trail from the North End of Baptist Trace to Maurice Stephens House, Baptist Trace Trail from Gulph Road to Route 23, “Underlook Trail” from Baptist Trace to the Grand Parade Trail
Public Closures for Field #23: Chapel Parking Lot (NPS portion), Chapel Trail
WHERE:
Valley Forge National Historical Park, a 3,500 acre national park unit located in both Montgomery and Chester counties in King of Prussia, PA. The area to be burned totals 135-acres within 2 distinct meadows adjacent to PA Route 23 and Gulph Road (see attached map). Visitor facilities, trails, and roads will remain open throughout the burn, although some adjacent trails and parking lots may require temporary closure. Traffic on PA Route 23 and Gulph Road may experience short delays due to smoke. See the attached maps.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
We want to inform the public as widely as possible to prevent unnecessary 911 calls. Please share the message below - including any details from this email - on your website and social media platforms, thank you!
Valley Forge National Historical Park is conducting a 135-acre prescribed fire on Tuesday April 2nd and Wednesday April 3rd in the vicinity of PA Route 23 (Valley Forge Park Road) and Gulph Road. You can expect to see smoke and fire adjacent to trails and roadways. There will be parking lot and trail closures. The fire is being coordinated between federal, state and local agencies. Additional information is available at http://go.nps.gov/vafofire
WHO:
National Park Service Staff, Mid-Atlantic Fire Management Area Staff, Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry and assistance from local fire companies.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Additional fire information including Frequently Asked Questions, maps, the official prescribed fire burn plan, and the list of designated public viewing areas is available at http://go.nps.gov/vafofire
CONTACT:
Jonathan Parker
Public Information Officer
National Park Service
610-342-5182 (cell)
[email protected]
