From the Ranger’s Lookout

Wet weather has caused a delayed start to Mark Twain National Forest’s spring prescribed fire season, but firefighters were finally able to complete a planned burn on a small, but ecologically important glade on the Potosi-Fredericktown Ranger District.

Vogt Glade is a rocky area within an open woodland setting, north of Highway 8. Hardwoods and cedars had grown in and shaded the glade over several years, which is not at all favorable to the plants and animals that rely on this open, rocky habitat. In a two-step process, crews assigned to Engine 612 and Engine 671 cut down the hardwoods and cedars on Vogt Glade during the winter, and burned the area during the last week of February. The fire consumed leaves and grasses and a lot of the woody material that was cut during the winter.

Stayed tuned for pictures of Vogt Glade in the spring and summer to see what wildflowers and plant life have re-established in this unique area.