The U.S. Forest Service will begin conducting spring season prescribed burns in Amherst, Augusta, Bedford, Botetourt, Craig, Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski and Wise counties.

Prescribed burns improve wildlife habitat by restoring open woodlands and grasslands to the forest landscape, according to a release from the Forest Service. Here’s the list of prescribed burns:

Amherst County: The 1,075-acre Cole Mountain burn area is located 8 miles east of Buena Vista within the Mount Pleasant National Scenic Area. The Old Hotel Trail (Forest Service Trail #515) and portions of the Appalachian Trail from U.S. 60 north to Salt Log Gap may be temporarily closed. Portions of Hog Camp Road (Forest Service Road #48), North Fork of the Buffalo Road (FSR #51) and Cow Camp Road (FSR #520) may also be temporarily closed. The controlled burn may have lingering smoke effects in the Montebello area.

Augusta County: The 327-acre Mills Creek burn area located in the Sherando area, is 6 miles southeast of Stuarts Draft and 7 miles southwest of Waynesboro. Mill Creek Trail (FST #518), Mill Creek Dam Trail (FST #518A), Forest Service Roads Turkey Pen (FST #1237), Mill Creek Dam (FST #1234) and portions of the Old Coal Road (FST #42) may be temporarily closed. The controlled burn is expected to have lingering smoke effects in the Sherando area.

Bedford County: The 1,013-acre Black Horse Gap burn area is located 3 miles northwest of Montvale and 10 miles northeast of Roanoke. The Day Creek Trailhead, portions of the Glenwood Horse Trail (FST #3004E) and Forest Service Roads Day Creek (FST #3078) and Black Horse Gap East (FST #186-2) will be temporarily closed for the duration of the prescribed burn activities. The controlled burn may have lingering smoke effects in the Montvale area. Smoke from this burn will be visible throughout the area, including from Interstate 81 and U.S. 460.

Botetourt County: The 2,553-acre Price Mountain prescribed burn area is located on and around Price Mountain. The controlled burn will take place between Price Mountain and Patterson Creek Road. We expect smoke to be visible from multiple locations in Botetourt and Roanoke counties. Depending on wind direction, residents in Eagle Rock and Glen Wilton may smell smoke.

Botetourt County: The 428-acre Caldwell Mountain prescribed burn area is located on the southeast facing slope of Broad Run Mountain and lies on the Craig and Botetourt County line. Smoke may be visible to the residents of Daleville, Troutville, Fincastle, Roanoke, Catawba and New Castle. Smoke may also be visible to those traveling along U.S. Route 220 and Interstate 81. Depending on wind direction residents in the Catawba Creek Valley located near the town of Fincastle may smell smoke.

Craig County: The 671-acre Mill Creek prescribe burn is located east of Fenwick Recreations site. Visitors to the Fenwick Mines Recreation Area may see and smell smoke on the day of the prescribed fire. Smoke from the area may be visible from New Castle, Barbours Creek and Oriskany. Depending on wind direction on the day of the burn, residents of Oriskany and the Craig Creek Valley along County Road 615 (Craigs Creek Road) may smell smoke.

Craig County: The 1,946-acre Sinking Creek prescribed burn is located east of County road 621 directly adjacent of Caldwell Fields recreation area on Forest Road 630. This project will be conducted in the springs and may take several days due to location and size of the project. The Appalachian Trail is used as a control line on the Sinking Creek Mountain Ridge. This project is also located in between both Craig and Montgomery Counties. Smoke will likely be visible from County Roads 621 and 42. Residents in the Sinking Creek and Craig Creek Drainage within the vicinity of the burn area may have short term smoke impacts.

Craig County: The 2,629-acre North Mountain prescribed burn area is located east of Route 311 on North Mountain between the towns of Abbott and Catawba, and 75% of his Projects lines consist of Forest service Trails to include North Mountain, Grouse, Deer, Turkey Trails. North Mountain prescribe burn is on the North Facing aspect of North mountain. It is expected that there may be smoke impacts within the Broad Run and Catawba Valley’s. The project has been split into smaller units to mitigate smoke concerns and trail closures. Residents in the area along 311 corridor area can expect to see and smell smoke.

Craig County: The 808-acres Potts Mountain Unit 8 controlled burn area may be burned this spring. This controlled burn is located along State Route 311. Smoke will be visible from New Castle and Paint Bank. Depending on wind direction the day of the burn, residents of Potts Creek Valley, Johns Creek Valley and Barbours Creek area may smell smoke. People traveling along State Route 311 in the vicinity of Potts Mountain should use caution as smoke may cause short-term low visibility. 

Craig County: The 728-acre North Mountain prescribed burn area is located on the north side of North Mountain. Smoke may be visible to the residents of Fincastle, Daleville, Troutville and the Roanoke Valley. Depending on wind on the day of the burn, residents of Catawba Valley adjacent to Fincastle and residents of Craigs Creek Valley may smell smoke.

Giles County:The 887-acre Kelly Flats prescribe burn area is located north of Big Stoney Road County Road 635. This project is located northwest of the Glen Alton Recreation Area and north of the town of Interior. The southwest portion of this project uses the Appalachian Trail as a fire line, and hikers may experience some short delays during implementation. The project area is broken into smaller units to mitigate smoke concerns and to support burning in a variety of seasonal conditions to improve forest health. Smoke will be seen from County Road 635 and residents may smell and see smoke for a short duration during the implementation of this project.  

Montgomery County:The 1,141-acre Brush Mountain West burn unit is located 2.5 miles North of Blacksburg and 2.5 miles south of Newport. The project area will be burned in four smaller sub-units to help fire managers control smoke impacts. Trails in and around Pandapas Pond may be closed. For your safety, please follow posted signs and trail closures when they occur. The controlled burn is expected to have lingering smoke effects in the Poverty Creek Drainage. There may also be light smoke impacts to U.S. Route 460, Poverty Creek Road (Forest Road 10911), and Forest Road 113. Depending on wind direction, residents and travelers in these areas may see or smell smoke.

Pulaski County:The 3,338-acre Tract Mountain unit 1 prescribed burn area is located north of the Gatewood Reservoir, north of the town of Pulaski. Residents of Pulaski, Radford and Christiansburg and travelers along Interstate 81 may smell smoke. Depending on wind direction residents and travelers near Pulaski may smell smoke.

Wise County, VA and Letcher County, KY: The 5,033-acre North Fork Pound burn unit is located two miles west, northwest of Pound, VA and 3.2 miles south of Jenkins, KY. North Fork Pound Lake, Cane Patch Campground, Pine Mountain Trail, and the Red Fox Trail may be closed. For your safety, please follow posted signs and trail closures when they occur. The prescribed burn is expected to have lingering smoke in the communities of Jenkins and Pound and surrounding communities, as well as U.S. Route 23 in Virginia and U.S. Route 119 in Kentucky. Depending on wind direction, residents and travelers in these areas may see or smell smoke.

Wise County, VA and Letcher County, KY: The 1,300-acre Cable Gap burn unit is located three miles northeast of Pound, VA, 2.7 miles Southeast of Jenkins, KY and approximately 1.8 miles southwest of Gaskins and Burdine, KY. Pine Mountain Trail, Austin Cemetery, South Mountain Road, and part of White Oak Creek Road may be closed. For your safety, please follow posted signs and trail closures when they occur. The prescribed burn is expected to have lingering smoke in the communities of Jenkins and Pound and surrounding communities, as well as U.S. Route 23 in Virginia and U.S. Route 119 in Kentucky. Depending on wind direction, residents and travelers in these areas may see or smell smoke.

Wise County, VA: The 3,368-acre High Butte burn unit is located in the surrounding area of Keokee Lake: ten miles southwest of Appalachia, VA, 2.8 miles southeast of Keokee, VA, two miles south of Exeter, VA, and 4.75 miles west of Big Stone Gap, VA. Keokee Lake and its trail systems, and Keokee Lake Road may be closed. For your safety, please follow posted signs and trail closures when they occur. The prescribed burn is expected to have lingering smoke effects in parts of Wise County including the town of Keokee, and Exeter and surrounding areas. Depending on wind direction, residents and travelers in these areas may see or smell smoke.