Gainesville, Ga. – Pending favorable conditions, fire managers on the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests will soon begin the prescribed burns essential to improving wildlife habitat and maintaining a healthy forest. Approximately 32,000 acres across the Forests may be treated through fire from mid-November 2015 through mid-May 2016.

"Each burn is carefully planned and implemented to achieve maximum benefit to the forest while minimizing impacts to the local community," said Mike Davis, Fire Management Officer for the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests.

When precise conditions including wind and humidity are met, firefighters begin and patrol each burn to ensure it meets forest health and public safety goals. Fire managers also utilize tactics to minimize smoke impacts including using daytime ignitions to allow the majority of smoke to disperse prior to settling overnight and burning larger sections at a time when conditions are favorable to reduce the overall number of days smoke is in an area.

Fire information, maps, and updates 24 hours-a-day:
Fire maps: go.usa.gov/JX93
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Twitter: www.twitter.com/ChattOconeeNF
Text message: text 'follow chattoconeenf' to 40404
Apps: go.usa.gov/Jwgh
Air quality monitoring information: www.georgiaair.org

Prescribed fire plans by Ranger District and Priority:
Chattooga River Ranger District
Acres
Location
(#1) Allen Mountain
527
5 miles S of Toccoa, GA
(#2) Big Ridge/ Ducks Nest Gap
2,156
5 miles NE of Clayton, GA
(#3) Deadin Timber
976
5 miles SE of Clayton, GA
(#4) Licklog
968
5 miles E of Clayton, GA
(#4) Pheasant Branch
641
3 miles NW of Helen, GA
(#5) Stonewall
338
5 miles SW of Clayton, GA

Blue Ridge Ranger District:
Acres
Location
(#1) Brawley Units B & A
363
10 miles SE of Morgantown, GA along FSR 95
(#2) Duncan Ridge/ Bryant Creek/Spencer Mountain
3,137
10 miles SW of Blairsville, GA in Coopers Creek WMA
(#3) Addie Gap
551
10 miles SW of Blairsville, GA in Coopers Creek WMA
(#4) Little Rock Creek
1,213
20 miles SW of Blairsville, GA near Rock Creek Rd.
(#5) Turkey Farm
321
20 miles SW of Blairsville, Ga near Rock Creek Rd.

Conasauga Ranger District:
Acres
Location
(#1) Pocket 2/26
1,986
15 miles SW of Dalton, GA
(#2) Mount Joy
849
15 miles SW of Dalton, GA
(#3) Lake Marvin
131
15 miles SW of Dalton, GA
(#4) Tweedale
251
6 miles NW of Calhoun, GA
(#5) Relict/Narrows Tower
828
3 miles E of Trion, GA

Oconee Ranger District:
Acres
Location
(#1) Hitchiti
3,054
10 miles NW of Gray, GA
(#2) Towns Creek
2,047
5 miles N of Greensboro, GA
(#3) Units 110/111/112/113/114 and 118
6,885
10 miles SW of Monticello, GA
(#4) Units 121
937
10 miles SE of Monticello, GA
(#5) Units 127/128
1,949
15 miles SW of Eatonton, GA
*Additional acres may be burned pending favorable conditions.

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The Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests provide the finest outdoor recreation opportunities and natural resources in Georgia. Featuring nearly 867,000 acres across 26 counties, thousands of miles of clear-running streams and rivers, approximately 850 miles of recreation trails, and dozens of campgrounds, picnic areas, and other recreation activity opportunities, these lands are rich in natural scenery, history and culture. The mission of the USDA Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.

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CONF Rx.jpg- A USFS firefighter monitors a prescribed fire used to improve wildlife habitat in the Lake Russell WMA near Toccoa, GA on January 13, 2015. Credit: USFS/Holly Krake