PUBLIC SAFETY NOTICE

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE, that between mid-March and April 15, 2018, a controlled burn will take place at Lee Memorial Park nature preserve, in the City of Petersburg, by the Virginia Dept. of Conservation & Recreation, together with the Petersburg Fire Department.  

A controlled burn of a large section of the 4.4 acre meadow at Lee Park has been requested by the Willcox Watershed Conservancy, as an environmental control for the removal of invasive plant vegetation and restoration of meadow habitat for native plants and wildlife.  

The burn will be conducted with safety as the primary concern, with well-trained crews using state-of-the-art equipment and techniques, according to a carefully prepared management plan. During this time, there will be no admittance to the nature preserve due to public safety concerns.  

Residents may notice smoke in the area of Lee Park, Ramblewood and Camelot subdivisions, Petersburg High School, and Dogwood Trace Golf Course.  There is no cause for alarm. 

The Petersburg Fire Department will be present and on scene throughout the day of the controlled burn.  

The exact date is yet to be determined, depending on scheduling priorities and weather conditions, and could be on short notice. 

Updates will be posted as more information becomes available.  For additional information, inquiries can be made to the Willcox Watershed Conservancy at (804) 731-8879.