GLADSTONE — Gladstone Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts will be conducting a prescribed burn in Rock Creek Meadow, 6700 N. Prospect St., but a date has not been announced.

Due to the required conditions, the burn notice will be 24 to 48 hours prior so signs will be posted along Missouri Highway 1, alerting the neighborhood that the burn is in progress. The fire portion and the majority of smoke will last approximately one hour, but small amounts of residual smoke may occur for up to 48 hours, reports the city.

An outside contractor will conduct the burn and both police and fire personnel will be on site as an added precaution.

According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, prescribed fire is the best management practice for native prairies, and is recommended.

“Using fire in a planned, prescribed burn is a standard tool for land managers restoring or preserving native prairies and woodlands. In autumn and winter, plant nutrients are stored in the deep roots of prairie grasses and wildflowers. The growth on top can be burned without harming the perennial prairie plants,” states a city release.<n> Prescribed burns are also conducted when humidity and temperature conditions keep the burn relatively cool, preventing damage to fallen seeds and the tops of root systems.

“A prescribed burn will help remove and control non-native or unwanted plant species deemed invasive to a prairie or woodland restoration,” states the city. “The invasive species are not adapted to fire regimes that the prairie plants evolved from. The nutrient drop from a burn gives plants a boost when they start growing again in the spring.”

For more information, call 423-4200.