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Location: The High Butte burn unit is located in the Keokee Lake area, approximately ten miles southwest of Appalachia, VA, 2.8 miles southeast of Keokee, VA, two miles south of Exeter, VA, and 4.75 miles west of Big Stone Gap, VA.
 
Date and Time: Forest Service fire specialists, The Nature Conservancy, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources and the Virginia Department of Forestry, among others, are planning to begin the 3,368-acre burn on April 11, 2022. Ignitions could last through Saturday, April 16th. 
 
Purpose: This burn helps keep the public and homes safe by reducing the buildup of dried leaves and wood in nearby forest land that can lead to uncontrolled wildfires. This burn will improve wildlife habitat by restoring open woodlands and grasslands to the forest landscape.
 
Additional Information and Road/Trail Closures: Keokee Lake and its trail systems, and Keokee Lake Road may be closed. For your safety, please follow posted signs and trail closures when they occur. The controlled burn is expected to have lingering smoke effects in parts of Wise County including the town of Keokee, and Exeter and surrounding areas. Depending on wind direction, residents and travelers in these areas may see or smell smoke.
 
Firefighter and public safety is our number one priority.
 
For the most up-to-date information visit Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7945/ and follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GWJNF and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GWJNF.