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Location:  The Gauley Ridge prescribed burn unit is south of Gate Mountain and 20 miles northeast of the City of Harrisonburg.

Date and Time:  Fire specialists will begin the 1,320 acre burn on Friday, April 15, if weather conditions allow. The ignition phase may take one to two days. You may see smoke from this prescribed burn for several days.

Purpose: This prescribed burn improves wildlife habitat by restoring open woodlands and grasslands to the forest landscape. Many animals need open grass and shrub habitat to survive. This burn will assist the USDA Forest Service with fuel reduction and help eradicate invasive plant species.

Additional Information and Road Closures:  Slate Lick Run Road (Forest Service Road 230) and the Gauley Ridge Road (Forest Service Road 423) will be temporarily closed for short periods of time during the burn. Residents of Harrisonburg, Fulks Run, Broadway, Timberville and Singers Glenn may see or smell smoke, as may travelers on State Routes 259 and 612. Depending on wind direction, this controlled burn may have lingering smoke effects.

Safety is the Forest Service’s top priority, and Forest fire managers will conduct this prescribed burn only under appropriate weather conditions.

For the most up-to-date information visit the InciWeb site: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7945/ and follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GWJNF and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GWJNF