Right now, the conditions in Cades Cove are perfect for the final day of prescribed burns taking place in the meadows and fields.
Prescribed burns are used by the Great Smoky Mountains national park on a rotating schedule in Cades Cove to keep fields clear of large brush, and help keep the ecosystem as diverse as possible.
Visitors to Cades Cove and along the Appalachian Trail(AT) today can expect temporary smoky conditions and limited visibility for short durations.
Hyatt Lane was closed in Cades Cove in anticipation of today's controlled burn to take place of weather permits. Additional burns are scheduled to take place this week in Cades Cove and could possible be pushed into next week as Thursday and Friday do not look like optimum weather for a good burn.
Controlled burns are used in the Great Smoky Mountains national park to clear vegetation in fields along with mowing in order to keep filed open from large vegetation such as bushes and trees so they remain as they were historically.
Prescribed burns also reduce fuel so that wild fires do not burn as hot and spread as quickly as they would and unmaintained areas as well as help increase biodiversity.
