Obed River Park Closed Tuesday For Controlled Burn

Cumberland County’s Obed River Park will be closed Tuesday for a controlled burn of the grassland area.

Parks and Recreation Director Donnie Moody said residents nearby are advised to keep there windows closed and limit outdoor activities.

“This will be between Highway 70 and Highway 127 kind of behind Lowe’s and around Charleston Plantation Apartments,” Moody said. “This fire typically puts out a lot of smoke. So if that smoke is seen, it is a controlled burn. We will have Cumberland County Fire on scene as well as Crossville Fire Department.”

Moody said the 10 acres of savannah has not been burned the past two years due to wet conditions. Moody said the county usually tries to do this yearly to keep brush growth controlled.

“It is in an area where the railroad beds used to go,” Moody said. “And there is a protected species, a native fire grass that is in that area due to those old locomotives going through and putting sparks out and setting those area on fire. So, we try to protect that native area by burning it every year.”

Fire crews begin the burn with driptorches. Moody said a fire break moat is kept around the land to prevent the spread. The controlled burn lasts about a day.

“There’s really not a chance for it to get out,” Moody said. “The fire department will walk around with driptorches to begin the burn. Normally, they back burn the area first, and then, start the controlled burn after that.”

Obed River Park is home to oak/pine grasslands. Major herd of buffalo, elk and deer used to reside in Tennessee and keep brush from growing quickly. Moody said now, these prescribed burns are the only way to preserve the area.