Special to the Daily News

The N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation plans to conduct a prescribed burn at Goose Creek State Park later this month.
According to park Superintendent John Fullwood, the specific date of the burn will depend on local weather conditions.
Areas to be affected extend from near the main park entrance to the campground and swim beach. The public will not be allowed to enter these areas during a burn event. If weather parameters do not meet requirements, the park will plan to conduct a burn on the next appropriate day. The burn is performed in cooperation with the N.C. Forest Service.
Prescribed burns are used as a resource management tool by the state parks system. Some plant communities and animal species rely on periodic fire for their existence. The prescribed burns also reduce the amount of potential wildfire fuel and help protect the park’s resources and neighboring landowners if lightning, arson or carelessness sparks a wildfire.
In order to minimize smoke and assure the fire is controlled, the low-intensity, prescribed burn will only be carried out under strictly defined weather conditions of a fire management plan. On the selected day, the burn will begin in the late morning and will likely end by mid-afternoon.
On days of a burn event, an alert will be posted on the Goose Creek State Park page of the division’s website, www.ncparks.gov. Signs will also be posted on Camp Leach Road alerting people that a burn is in progress. For further information, call the park office at 252-923-2191.