Prescribed burning planned for the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests

Hello! 

So, work may begin as early as today, 3/4/2026, with prescribed burns happening in the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forest. Plan your trips with this in mind.

Below you'll find a bunch of information on these burns. Read on!

(Asheville, N.C., March 3, 2026) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service will conduct prescribed burns on both the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests to reduce hazardous fuels and improve wildlife habitat and forest health starting this week and lasting for approximately 2 months. 

On the Pisgah National Forest, the prescribed fires will take place in several locations across Transylvania, Henderson and Haywood counties, including Funnel Top (1,100 acres), Otter Hole (2,100 acres), Brushy Ridge (1,800 acres), Sam Knob (200 acres) and Pink Beds (1,600 acres). 

Firefighters will also begin prescribed fire operations on the Nantahala National Forest in Jackson and Macon counties, including Big Green (500 acres), Moses Creek (158 acres), Coward Bald (684 acres), Split Whiteoak (1025 acres) and Deweese (894 acres). A portion of the Appalachian Trail will be temporarily closed in the Deweese Unit for public safety during active firing operations. Once conditions permit safe travel, the trail will promptly reopen. 

The actual acreage, locations and dates of the burns will depend on weather and forest conditions, with operations beginning as early as tomorrow. Fire managers will carefully assess those conditions, and notifications on specific burn times and locations will be posted to the National Forests in North Carolina website and on Facebook when available. 

Please pay attention to any posted signs and watch carefully for wildland firefighters working in the forest during this time. There could be temporary road and trail closures during burning operations and following days while the area is monitored. These closures are for the safety of the public and firefighters. Helicopters may also be used to monitor and assist burn operations.

Why does the Forest Service use prescribed fire?

Prescribed fire is an important forest management tool for reducing fuels, improving wildlife habitat and promoting forest health. Burning under controlled conditions, or as “prescribed,” helps to reduce fuels that build up on the forest floor while ensuring public and firefighter safety.

How does the Forest Service plan for a burn?

All prescribed burns are thoroughly planned and analyzed by a team of specialists to ensure that wildlife, fisheries, rare plants and historic sites are not harmed. They use information from decades of fire science research to build controlled burn plans to improve forest health and reduce potentially hazardous fuels. 

Who participates in a burn? What do they look for?

Forest Service wildland firefighters and fire management team that respond to wildfires are the same people that plan and carefully set prescribed fires. They go through extensive training to ensure the safety of both the public and firefighters, reduce the impacts of smoke on nearby communities and set the burns so that they improve forest conditions. Fire managers consider wind speed and direction, relative humidity, conditions on the forest floor and other factors before and during a burn. Wildlife, including turkey and deer, often move in quickly after a burn to take advantage of the newly opened areas and easy to find food sources. 

For more information on how the Forest Service uses prescribed fire, visit www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/prescribed-fire.

For more information on the National Forests in North Carolina, visit www.fs.usda.gov/nfsnc or follow the National Forests in North Carolina on Facebook ( www.facebook.com/nfsnc).