By Rob Moore

 

A prescribed burn to benefit wildlife and habitat in and around Tallulah Gorge will be held today.

The prescribed burn, known as “good fire”, will cover up to 1,400 acres of Tallulah Gorge State Park, adjacent state-owned wildlife management agency, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest land, and Georgia Power Co. lands on the gorge’s north side.

The fire will not be located near the park’s campground or Jane Hurt Yarn Interpretive Center.

This will be the seventh prescribed fire at the gorge in the past 20 years, and is geared toward restoration and preservation of wildlife habitat along the two-mile-long gorge.

Smoke management is part of the fire and safety protocols, and planning helps identify nursing homes and other smoke-sensitive populations.

The burn unit is across from safe overlook spots on South Rim of Tallulah Gorge.

The Nature Conservancy also will participate in the burn.

All trails that do not require a permit will be open, but visitors may experience smoke on their way to the park or while hiking.