A Weekly Note from Mayor Gary L. Graham
“Traditional Values, Progressive Thinking”
Our Park Maintenance Department, with the assistance from the O’Fallon Fire Department, plans to perform a prescribed burn of 5.5 acres of Prairie areas located within Rock Springs Park between the dates of February 1 and March 31.
Favorable wind and weather conditions are required to safely undertake the burn. Those conditions include a wind from the west at a speed of less than ten m.p.h. The wooded area that surrounds the Prairie will also serve as a buffer to help control the smoke as well as guide it into the upper atmosphere.
The process will take several hours to accomplish during which time the park will be closed to visitors. A “notice to burn” will be posted at the park entrance on the day prior to the scheduled burn.
Residents residing near Rock Springs Park who have pre-existing health conditions that may be impacted by the smoke from the burn should contact Calvin Beckmann at 622-1566 to make arrangements for accommodations. While the burn is a necessary procedure, we want to be certain that our residents are effectively protected.
Burns of native prairies are a necessity in order to maintain the health of the Prairie and to remove woody vegetation. Burns typically occur in February and March when the vegetation is dry and most people are indoors due in inclement weather. Wildfire is a natural part of the Prairie Ecosystem which eliminates excess fuel load and controls woody vegetation growth. The prescribed burn allows us to accomplish these goals in a controlled environment and should be performed every two to three years. The current Prairie area has been established for over five years and is in need of the procedure to re-invigorate the plants so they are ready for new growth in the spring.
For more information about the burn or to make health accommodations, please contact Calvin Beckmann, Park & Grounds Superintendent at 622-1566 or via email at cbeckmann@ofallon.org.
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