Travis County Parks will be assisting the Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center with a prescribed burn on October 3, 2022. The prescribed burn will occur between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. and will take approximately two to three hours to complete.
Travis County Parks and the Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center are conducting the prescribed burn in cooperation with personnel from the local fire departments and other natural resource agencies.
The prescribed burn is part of a long-term prairie restoration project and 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.
The prescribed burn may be conducted with any wind direction. North winds are expected which will carry fire to the south, across the Hamilton Pool Road and nearby ranches and communities. Smoke will likely be evident to the south of the preserve but be relatively light and of a short duration.
The Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center will be closed during the prescribed burn and portions of the hiking trails may be closed for additional days during the week
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.
Westcave Outdoor discovery Center is located at 24814 Hamilton Pool Road, Round Mountain, TX 78663.
Media note: Please call the PIO (contact listed above), or check in at the park fee booth for additional information. The project is relatively remote and access will be limited.
- Hector Nieto, Travis County PIO, 956-251-2902
- Glen Gillman, Park Land Manager, 512-844-7480
- Jack Vaughan, Park Supervisor, 512-400-1914
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