05/11/2026
🔥 Prescribed Burn Planned at Sandbar Wildlife Management Area in Milton
Vermont Fish & Wildlife officials are planning a prescribed burn this spring at the Sandbar Wildlife Management Area near Route 2 in Milton as part of an effort to restore rare sandplain habitat and protect fire-dependent species.
The controlled burn will begin as early as Tuesday, May 12, and will cover approximately 53 acres west of Route 2.
According to state biologists, the carefully planned burn will help support species such as pitch pine and several threatened and endangered plants that rely on natural fire cycles to survive and thrive.
Officials say the burn will only take place under favorable weather conditions, with safety as the top priority. Professional crews from Vermont Forests, Parks & Recreation, New Hampshire Division of Forests & Lands, the U.S. Forest Service, and Vermont Fish & Wildlife will oversee the operation.
🚧 Signs will be posted along Route 2 during the burn, and smoke may be visible in the area.
The prescribed fire is part of ongoing habitat restoration efforts designed to mimic natural wildfire conditions in a safe and controlled way while improving habitat for wildlife and native plants.