News Release

National Park Service to Burn Brush Piles, February 23 - March 31, 2021

In a snow-covered field, two National Park Service employees light a large pile of brush on fire.

NPS photo/Nate Orsburn

News Release Date: February 22, 2021

Contact: Lisa Yager, 715-483-2290

ST. CROIX FALLS, Wisconsin: St. Croix National Scenic Riverway plans to burn numerous brush piles in the Riverway corridor from late February through March of 2021. These burns may take place February 23rd - March 31st depending on weather conditions. The National Park Service (NPS) is conducting these burns to remove brush piles created from invasive species removal, which is part of a larger effort to improve prairie and savanna habitat along the St. Croix and Namekagon rivers.The areas where piles are to be burned are:

• Arcola; located in Washington County, four miles north of Stillwater, Minnesota. The site has 20 piles and is in being restored to native prairie and oak savanna.

• Rice Lake Flats; located in St. Croix County, five miles northwest of Somerset, Wisconsin. This site has approximately 40 piles. The area will be restored to oak savanna and native prairie.

• Tewksbury; located in Polk County, one mile southwest of Osceola, Wisconsin. This site has approximately five piles. The area will be restored to oak savanna and native prairie.

• Osceola Glade; located in Polk County, two miles west of Dresser, Wisconsin. This site has approximately 15 piles. The area will be restored to oak savanna.

• Olson’s Prairie; located north of Highway 77 between Danbury and Minong, Wisconsin, in northeast Burnett County. This site has two piles.

• Sterling & Sunrise Prairies; located in on the St. Croix River, either side of Sunrise Ferry Landing in Polk County, Wisconsin. This site has two piles. This area is being restored to oak savanna and tallgrass prairie.

• St. Croix Shores; located in Chisago County, four miles north of Taylors Falls, Minnesota. This site has approximately 20 piles. The area will be restored to oak forest.

The NPS has developed detailed plans for pile burning and the fires are carried out by trained and certified personnel. The plans address temperature, relative humidity, wind, and other conditions under which a burn can take place, protection of adjacent properties, communications, needed manpower and equipment, safety, and other considerations.The piles will be burned while surrounding vegetation is not flammable.  If conditions are not favorable on the day when burning is planned or while piles are still hot, the burn will be rescheduled or piles may be extinguished.The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway’s Fire Management Plan is available for viewing on the park's website: http://www.nps.gov/sacn/parkmgmt/firemanagement.htm

For additional information, contact the St. Croix River Visitor Center in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, at 715-483-2274.  Updates regarding the planned brush pile burning will be posted to the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway website and Facebook page when exact days and specific locations are determined.