Home Augusta County: Heavy smoke the result of a prescribed burn in Sherando area
News

Augusta County: Heavy smoke the result of a prescribed burn in Sherando area

Crystal Graham
prescribed burn fire us forest service prescribed fire alert
Image courtesy USDA Forest Service

If you are seeing smoke in Lyndhurst and Sherando today, you may see or smell smoke due to a prescribed burn.

The USDA Forest Service is undertaking a spring prescribed burn today in Augusta County near the Coal Road (Forest Service Road #42).

The burn will treat 467 acres near the Mills Creek area.

Turkey Pen Ridge Road and Mills Creek Trail will be closed during the burn.

Depending on the wind direction, the residents and travelers on Mt. Torry Road in the Sherando community may see or smell smoke, according to an update on social media.

According to the Forest Service, prescribed burns improve wildlife habitat by restoring open woodlands and grassland conditions on the forest landscape.

Experienced fire managers are on hand to monitor local weather conditions, such as wind and humidity, and adjust the schedule as needed to ensure the safety of both crewmembers and residents.

Crews have constructed and designated firebreaks to ensure the fire does not leave the burn area.

The burn will mimic historic natural fire as much as possible and will mainly consume brush and dead herbaceous vegetation.


Support AFP




Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, Crystal Graham has worked for 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of "Virginia Tonight," a nightly TV news show, both broadcast on PBS. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television. You can reach her at [email protected]

Latest News

staunton
Local

Staunton: Police ID suspect in shots fired incident near Gypsy Hill Park

derek dooley uva football
Football, Politics, U.S. & World

Former UVA Football walk-on is a long shot in the Georgia GOP U.S. Senate run-off

Former UVA Football walk-on Derek Dooley rallied to clinch a spot in the June 16 run-off for the Republican nomination for Jon Ossoff’s U.S. Senate seat from Georgia, but per the latest polling data, he’ll need to pull off another comeback to win the primary.

homeless shelter food line buffet soup food insecurity
Politics, U.S. & World

State AGs win injunction to block Trump effort to keep people hungry over politics

A coalition of state AGs that includes Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones has won a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump regime’s attempt to block states from getting USDA grants for their SNAP and WIC programs over MAGA politics.

interstate 81 i-81
Local

Staunton: VDOT announces Interstate 81 closure overnight Saturday

uva baseball chris pollard
Baseball

UVA Baseball: Ranking prep recruiting, transfer portal pick-ups, assessing needs

FIFA world cup 2026 soccer
Etc.

Two former UVA Soccer stars set to compete in the 2026 World Cup

drought update
Virginia

Yes, Virginia, still in a drought: 7.5 inches of rain behind, with summer heat upon us