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Controlled burn to be conducted at Fergus Falls campus May 9

M State will be conducting a low-intensity controlled burn at its Fergus Falls campus on or after Friday, May 9, weather permitting. 

Computer image of a map of the controlled burn area
The area where the prescribed burn will take place, along North Tower Road, on both sides of Spartan Drive.

A 45-acre stretch of native grasslands on the north end of the campus will be affected, along its northern border with North Tower Road. Trees in the area will not be impacted. The burn will last about four hours and is not expected to affect normal campus or community operations.

Photo looking down Spartan Drive, from north to south, on the M State Fergus Falls campus

The purpose of the burn is to set back unwanted plant species and stimulate native plant growth. It is being conducted under a carefully planned prescription, with the assistance of Red Rock Fire and under the guidance of Minnesota Native Landscapes, an ecological restoration company. The Fergus Falls fire and police departments are aware of the burn.

M State staff and students, campus visitors and nearby residents are advised to keep a safe distance from the fire to ensure their safety. Smoke will be visible, and those in the immediate area may want to take air quality precautions, such as closing their windows.

M State will provide timely updates on the burn through its social media channels and website, minnesota.edu. Refer to those for more information, or contact Dereck Houge, the campus’s building maintenance supervisor, at dereck.houge@minnesota.edu or 218.736.1560.