The James River State Park on Monday, Feb. 13.
Controlled burn crew below James River State Park's cabins.
The acreage burned were fields composed primarily of a variety of native warm season grasses, vines and small woody vegetation along with some non-native vegetation such as Johnson grass.
The controlled burn benefited the established warm season grasses and the animals depending on them for survival. It also reduced the risk of wildfire by reducing the fuels available.
Neighbors in the vicinity of the park were notified ahead of time, and the day of the burn all local fire departments were made aware of the controlled burn about to be underway.
DCR conducts prescribed burns with safety as a primary consideration. The burn was implemented according to a written plan and controlled by a professional, well-trained 12 member crew. This crew included: a burn boss, a burn boss trainee, and two squad bosses. The remaining members were divided into ignition crews and holding crews. Ignition crew lights the fire by hand with drip torches and the holding crew makes sure the fire burns where it is supposed to.