Prevention

Prescribed Fire & #BurnAlerts

Wildland fire has played an essential role in the health of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest's oak and pine stands for thousands of years. Researchers studying fire-scarred trees have found that fires occurred periodically, often every 3-9 years, dating back to the mid-1600s, and soil charcoal records show that fire has been a part of these mountains for at least 10,000 years. After years of continuous exposure to fire, our landscape has become fire-adapted and needs fire to remain healthy.

Prescribed fire is a fire management tool that allows us to reintroduce the benefits of fire to the landscape in a safe and controlled way. Forest land managers prescribe fire to Forest areas as a way to better wildlife habitat, reduce forest fuels (like brush, dry leaves, and shrubs), and better the general health of the Forest. When conditions are just right, fire managers carry out the prescribed fire treatments essential to improving wildlife habitat and maintaining a healthy forest. Every year, fire managers successfully treat around 35,000 acres on the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests through prescribed fire.

The Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests fire management program mission is to manage fuels at the landscape scale to restore and maintain fire-resilient landscapes that are compatible with their historical fire return interval, a core goal of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy.

Current Prescribed Fire Activities

The following maps are provided to inform the public of prescribed fire activity, however the information therein does not constitute official government data. Please see Monitoring and Evaluation of the Forest Plan Implementation reports listed on the Planning website for official information.

Planned Controlled Burns

Expand Burn Tracker to full screen view

Sign Up for #BurnAlerts

Sign up or follow us on social media to receive #BurnAlerts notifications when a prescribed fire will occur in your area. The following methods are available to you, which are updated to provide official public notification of prescribed fire activities.

Email: Sign up for #BurnAlerts

Call your nearest office.

Be advised that smoke from prescribed fire may cross state boundaries.