Passaconaway Road closed: fire

[peakbagger]

One of the somewhat infamous story's of the Zealand Valley fires related to JE Henrys logging practices attributed to leading scientific authorities of the time, was that the fire burned so hot that the soil was sterilized and that the woods would never recover.

There is pine barren ecosystem in the Ossipee area of NH that was in danger of being lost http://www.nature.org/ourinitiative...ire/places-preserves/ossipee-pine-barrens.xml because fires were intentionally suppressed. Now that's its recognized that fires are needed to keep the area healthy, there are prescribed burns. The WMNF has several areas that they burn every few years to keep appropriate habitat. Sadly I think with loss of budget a lot of these areas have been left to grow out. There used to be a several area path behind Camp Dodge that has been allowed to grow in.

I would take my chances on a fire compared to the long term damage that the ice storm of 1998 wrought on the area.

 

[ChrisB]

Fire Now Contained

Drove through the covered bridge and the length of the Dugway Road yesterday (Thursday).

Lots of fire-fighting trucks in the Boulder Loop parking lot and the woods along the north side of the road were posted closed. But road was open and looked like crew was deep in woods putting out hot spots.

cb