Eighteen acres of meadow will be burned at Valley Forge National Historical Park in the coming weeks as officials see if fire can successfully be used to combat invasive plant species.

The area to be burned is a meadow south of Yellow Springs Road near the park's southwest boundary.

Park officials say the specific date of the prescribed fire depends on weather conditions falling within required parameters, such as wind, temperature, and relative humidity, and may be as early as the first week in October. Visitor facilities, trails, and roads will remain open throughout the burn. Traffic on Yellow Springs Road may experience delays. The burn is expected to last no longer than one day.

The test prescribed fire will allow the park to evaluate whether fire is a viable tool to manage meadows to promote high quality wildlife habitat. Valley Forge National Historical Park contains more than 1,500 acres of meadows that provide extremely important habitat for birds and mammals. In recent years, however, the meadows have been overtaken by exotic invasive plants that degrade the habitat and cannot be adequately controlled by mowing or herbicide.

The area for the test burn was selected because it is not immediately adjacent to recreation areas, major roads, or neighbors, and has a diverse mixture of native and non-native plant species that will be assessed following the burn. If successful, prescribed fire could be used in additional areas in the park.

Valley Forge National Historical Park is coordinating the burn with staff from the Mid-Atlantic Fire Management Area based at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. The perimeter of the prescribed fire will be mowed and wetted with water prior to ignition. A sprinkler line will be put in place along the perimeter as needed. National Park Service staff will monitor air quality and smoke impacts as well as visibility on Yellow Springs Road.