The Delaware Department of Transportation announced on March 26 that its Environmental Stewardship section will conduct a prescribed fire at Dove’s Nest within the next two weeks. The exact date for the burn, which is dependent on weather conditions, will be posted once available.
Dove’s Nest is a 43-acre meadow habitat managed by DelDOT and located west of the Spring Mill community, Route 71 (Summit Bridge Road), just north of Middletown and adjacent to US 301. The area features a variety of wildflowers and native shrubs.
A prescribed fire involves intentionally applying fire to a specific area under controlled environmental conditions to achieve land management objectives and ecological goals. According to DelDOT, “Several benefits of prescribed fire are minimizing the spread of pest insects and disease, removing invasive plant species, and improving the habitat for threatened and endangered species. It also recycles nutrients back into the soil, and it promotes the growth of native grasses, wildflowers, and other plants.”
The Delaware Forest Service will oversee the operation. Burns like this are performed before nesting season and growing season begins. The burn area will be divided into strips or plots with undisturbed escape routes left for wildlife. Firebreaks will be installed around the area to maintain control during the process.
DelDOT said that burns will only occur if weather conditions such as wind direction, speed, humidity levels, and vegetation status are ideal; otherwise, they will not proceed. Smoke mitigation procedures include burning only in certain atmospheric conditions so smoke rises quickly and using patch burning techniques that create pulses rather than continuous sheets of smoke.
For more information about this project or updates on scheduling, residents can visit de.gov/301burn or contact DelDOT directly by phone or email as listed on the official roster page at the organization’s website.
