Single Publication

Location:  The 827-acre Grindstone burn unit is located on Grindstone Mountain in Augusta County, one mile west of Stokesville, VA.

Date and Time:  Fire specialists will begin the prescribed burn on Wednesday, April 13 if weather conditions allow. This prescribed burn will be completed in one day.  Firefighters will continue to monitor the area for several days after the burn.   You may see smoke from this prescribed burn for several days.

Purpose: This prescribed burn improves wildlife habitat by restoring open woodlands and grasslands to the forest landscape. Many animals need open grass and shrub habitat to survive. This burn will also help eradicate invasive plant species.

Road Closure:  A 2-mile section of County Road 95 will be temporarily closed during the burn.  This closure will begin at the intersection of Tillman Road (Forest Service Road 101) and County Road 95 and will extend approximately two miles westward. 

Additional Information: Residents of surrounding areas including Stokesville, West Augusta, Briery Branch and Bridgewater may see and smell light smoke for several days, especially in the mornings and evenings.  Smoke may be visible along sections of County Road 95 and Tillman Roads for the duration of the burn.

Firefighter and public safety is our number one priority. For your safety, please follow posted signs and comply with trail closures when they occur. Depending on wind direction, this controlled burn may have lingering smoke effects.

For the most up-to-date information visit the inciweb site: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7945/ and follow us on twitter: https://twitter.com/GWJNF and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GWJNF

For more information on our prescribed burn program, please contact the North River Ranger District at (540) 432-0187 or visit our website www.fs.fed.us/r8/gwj