Travis County Parks plans to conduct a prescribed burn at Southeast Metropolitan Park on Monday, June 5, 2022. The prescribed burn will occur between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. and will take approximately one to three hours to complete.
Travis County Parks is conducting the prescribed burn in cooperation with personnel from the local fire departments and natural resource agencies.
The prescribed burn is intended to reduce wildfire danger and improve ecosystem health by removing invading shrubs, consuming dead and downed vegetation, reducing the number of exotic species, and enhancing the health and diversity of the native plant community.
South winds are anticipated which will carry the smoke to the north, across the park and towards the SH 130 corridor. Due to the small size of the prescribed burn and the distance between the prescribed burn and the adjacent roads and communities, smoke impacts are expected to be relatively light.
The Park will remain open; however, some portions of the park specifically the Multi-use Trail will close for part of the week. Those areas of the park that remain open may be impacted by smoke from the prescribed burn.
Travis County is currently under a burn ban. Burn bans limit certain types of fire use in order to minimize the potential for accidental fires and to reduce the impact fires have on emergency responders. Burn bans do not limit all fire use (cooking, welding, etc.), and many activities are allowed with certain restrictions. Prescribed burn managers conduct prescribed burns during burn bans because conditions are favorable for meeting established objectives. Land managers, regulators and emergency responders coordinate the implementation of the prescribed burns.
Southeast Metropolitan Park is located at 4511 Hwy 71 East, Del Valle, TX 78617.
Media note: The Park will remain open. There may be a PIO or staff available for interviews. Please call the Park Supervisor (contact listed above) for more information.
- Hector Nieto, Travis County PIO, 956-251-2902
- Glen Gillman, Park Land Manager, 512-844-7480
