(From George Washington Carver National Monument)George Washington Carver National Monument is preparing to conduct a prescribed fire between March 16 and March 21, 2026, weather permitting. The operation is expected to take one day. Most of the park will remain open to visitors during the prescribed fire. However, temporary closure of the Carver Trail will be necessary to ensure public safety.
The prescribed fire would treat approximately 80 acres under the direction of trained fire personnel. The goal is to reduce wildfire risk by removing hazardous fuels, limit woody vegetation and support the health of the park’s tallgrass prairie ecosystem.
Tallgrass prairie once covered more than 140 million acres across the United States, but most of it was converted for agricultural use. Prairie ecosystems depend on natural processes, including grazing and fire, to maintain ecological balance. For roughly 5,000 years, frequent fire played a critical role in sustaining these grasslands. Today, prescribed fire continues that essential role, helping protect and restore remaining prairie ecosystems.
George Washington Carver National Monument contains areas of restored tallgrass prairie that benefit from these management practices.
Administered by the National Park Service, an agency of the Department of the Interior, George Washington Carver National Monument preserves the birthplace and childhood home of George Washington Carver - scientist, educator, and humanitarian. The park is located two miles west of Diamond, Missouri, on Highway V, then ¼ mile south on Carver Road. More information is available by phoning the park at 417-325-4151 between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., and via the park website at www.nps.gov/gwca.
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