Managed Fires Planned In Great Meadows Marsh In Stratford

STRATFORD, CT — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to conduct a series of small prescribed burns between Monday, March 22, and Thursday, April 15, in the Great Meadows Marsh area of the Stewart B McKinney National Wildlife Refuge.

“The burn is part of a larger effort to improve the habitat for wildlife, increase the resilience of the marsh and reduce mosquito problems,” officials wrote in a news release. “The prescribed burn will reduce the amount of vegetation so refuge staff can implement restoration in the fall.

“The prescribed burns will be done by a team of trained wildland firefighters from the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, in coordination with the Stratford Fire Marshal’s office and Sikorsky Airport.”

Smoke may be visible from the West side of the Great Meadow Marsh, according to officials.

The Stratford Fire Marshal office is working with the Wildlife Service to provide updated prescribed burn information via the Town of Stratford reverse 911 messaging system.

“The Great Meadows Marsh Unit in Stratford is one of the largest salt marshes remaining in the state,” officials wrote in a news release. “However, manmade changes to the marsh decades ago led to prolonged flooding and invasion by dense common reed and other non-native plants. The prescribed burn will reduce the amount of vegetation so refuge staff can implement restoration in the fall.”