Prescribed burn at Draper Lake planned

(March 20, 2008) - A prescribed burn is planned in the near future on about 564 acres of Lake Stanley Draper, south of the I-240 at the Douglas Boulevard exit.  The City of Oklahoma City Utilities Department requested the Forestry Services Division of Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry to conduct and control the burn activities.

“It is impossible at this point to give the exact day the burn will take place,” said Mark Goeller, ODAFF assistant director of forestry.  “Moisture and wind conditions will have to meet specific requirements before we burn this area.”

“We must have these conditions to assure a safe burn, which is our number-one priority, he said.  “Having the right moisture and wind conditions will also result in a more efficient burn.”

The prescribed burn will reduce the wild fire risk by managing the underlying brush and fuel and provide better views of the lake from surrounding roads.  Also, a prescribed burn will improve the overall health of the native forest, allow better native ground cover growth to reduce erosion and improve the habitat for many varieties of wild life, including the black-capped vireo, an endangered bird found at the lake.

The burn will begin about 10 a.m. and take about 10 hours to complete.  The prescribed burn will be conducted as long as weather conditions are appropriate.  Lake Stanley Draper will be closed to the public while area is burned.