McCreary County, Kentucky – The U.S. Forest Service plans to conduct prescribed burns Saturday across parts of the Daniel Boone National Forest, temporarily closing some recreation areas and trails.
According to the U.S. Forest Service – Daniel Boone National Forest, crews plan to burn about 1,345 acres in McCreary County and roughly 780 acres in Leslie County as part of scheduled forest management operations.
In McCreary County, the burns are planned within the Cowhorn burn unit on the western edge of the county and in the Barren Fork and Taylor Branch burn units near Barren Fork Horse Camp and U.S. Highway 27.
Officials say Barren Fork Horse Camp and its equestrian trail network will be closed during active burn operations and could remain closed for several days until crews confirm conditions are safe.
In Leslie County, operations are planned in the Sugar Creek burn unit south of U.S. Highway 421 near Big Creek.
Sections 2 and 3 of the Redbird Crest Trail will also be closed during active burning.
Drivers and nearby residents may notice smoke along nearby roads and towns, and officials advise motorists to slow down and use low-beam headlights if visibility is reduced.
The Forest Service says prescribed burns help reduce hazardous vegetation, improve forest health, and support wildlife habitat, while also lowering the risk of larger wildfires later in the year.
The closures and smoke could affect weekend hikers, horseback riders, and travelers near the Daniel Boone National Forest.
More information about planned and active burns is available through the Daniel Boone National Forest website and the U.S. Forest Service burn map.
