Travis County Parks plans to conduct multiple prescribed burns at Pace Bend Park during the week of August 8. The burns are expected to occur on August 9 and 10 and will take place between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. The prescribed burns will each take approximately two to four hours to complete. Travis County Parks is conducting the burn in cooperation with personnel from Lake Travis Fire Rescue, Pflugerville Fire Department, Pedernales Fire Department, Westlake Fire Department, the Wildflower Center, The Nature Conservancy, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and the Lower Colorado River Authority.
The prescribed burns include 102 acres of grasslands and woodlands and will help maintain these plant communities by removing invading shrubs, reducing the number of exotic species, and enhancing the health and diversity of the native plant community.
The burns can be completed with any wind direction; however, predicted southerly winds will carry the smoke to the north across Lake Travis and towards the communities to the north, specifically those areas west of Pace Bend Park. Some smoke impacts are expected, but they should be relatively light and of a short duration.
The park will remain open; however, some portions of the park, specifically the west side of the park from the Fee Booth to Camp Texline, will close for part of the week.
Pace Bend Park is located at: 2805 Pace Bend Road North, Spicewood, TX 78669.
Travis County is currently under a burn ban. Burn bans limit certain types of fire-use in order to minimize the potential for accidental fires and to reduce the impact fires have on emergency responders. Burn bans do not limit all fire use (cooking, welding, etc.), and many activities are allowed with certain restrictions. Prescribed-burn managers conduct prescribed burns during burn bans because conditions are favorable for meeting established objectives. Land managers, regulators and emergency responders coordinate the implementation of the prescribed burns.
Media note: The prescribed burn will be located along a park road, and depending on conditions, access may be granted to the media. Please call Travis County Parks PIO Keith Rawlings at 512-848-6989, or check in at the park fee booth for additional information.
