One of the controlled burns will occur at 10 acres of Barn Island Wildlife Management Area in Stonington.
” The main goal of this prescribed burn is to lower the risk of wildfires by reducing the amount of burnable vegetation in the area,” DEEP said in a statement. “A second goal is to help limit the spread of invasive plants. This site is a good place for a controlled burn because it is bordered on three sides by natural or existing barriers, including Palmer Neck Road, the Barn Island parking lot, and Little Narragansett Bay. These features help contain the fire safely. The area also was chosen because the vegetation found here is similar to that in other coastal areas of southeastern Connecticut. This burn will help us see how fire affects these types of landscapes and will guide future burns in similar places. Based on how the area recovers after the burn, it may be burned again every 2 to 10 years to maintain desired conditions.”…Read more by Chris Rhatigan