Bureau of Land Management to Conduct Prescribed Burn At the Lathrop Bayou Habitat Management Area
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PANAMA CITY, Fla. - The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Deseret Ranches of North Florida, and The Genecov Group will conduct a prescribed burn on approximately 536 acres within the Lathrop Bayou Habitat Management Area located east of Tyndall AFB in East Bay between Saturday, February 22- Saturday, February 29, 2020.
The timing of the prescribed burn is contingent upon favorable weather conditions. The burn is being conducted in coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and The Nature Conservancy for habitat improvements and will aid conservation of the federally endangered Red Cockaded Woodpecker and rare plant species.
This prescribed fire is expected to last one or two days. Forecast winds for the day of the prescribed burn will carry smoke from the fire well into the air and to the south or southwest of the area. Smoke from the fire may be visible from Panama City, Mexico Beach, and Port St. Joe.
Fully trained and experienced prescribed fire applicators from BLM and USFWS will conduct the burn. The fire will be lit aerially with limited ground support, containment will be achievable due to presence of surrounding water bodies. Ground and boat crews will also be on-site to monitor the progress of the fire. The Lathrop Bayou Habitat Management Area comprises three islands in East Bay: the prescribed fire will be contained within the conservation area.
The Lathrop Bayou Conservation Area is a long-leaf pine and slash pine ecosystem that received damage from Hurricane Michael. The fire prescription will reduce dead and down timber as a result of the heavy storm damage and improve the forest condition. The ideal fire regime to maintain a healthy pine ecosystem occurs about every 2-4 years.
For more information, please contact Michael Boomer, Fire Management Officer at (601) 919- 4663.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.