Your Emergency Alerts

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
2700 Suwannee Canal Road, Folkston, GA 31537
Phone: 912 496 7366 ext 233
Fax: 912 496 7991
www.fws.gov/okefenokee

For Immediate Release
Honey Prairie Fire Update:
Refuge Set to Reopen the Sill and Three Sites for Canoe Camping

No smoke has been seen in three weeks along the two mile perimeter where the Honey Prairie fire crept underground burning peat and roots in a hardwood swamp on the west side of the refuge. It is still too early to call the fire out since it is possible it could flare back up. According to refuge manager Curt McCasland, “We recently responded to a small fire on the east side of the refuge. Firefighters found a burning pile left over from an area burned in July.” He added, “Given the ability of fire to smolder through the winter in the wood/debris pile, we will need to continue to monitor the fire perimeter and look for other areas where this may still be occurring.”

With the fire settled down, the Suwannee River Sill, an earthen dam near the west entrance of the refuge and Stephen C. Foster State Park, will reopen for driving, hiking, bicycling, and fishing starting February 21. The Sill will be open from sunrise to sunset.

Motorists can drive 1¼ miles out on new pavement to the first water control structure. Beyond that, you can walk 3⅓ miles out to Pine Island, probably without getting your feet wet crossing the new breeches in the Sill. Visitors eager to try out the new boat ramp may need to wait until the water level comes up. On February, 16 the Suwannee River gage at Hwy 441 in Fargo, GA had a reading of 3.8 cubic feet per second. In the past 79 years the average for this date is 1,410 cubic feet per second.

Refuge staff and volunteers have cleared more obstacles from the Suwannee Canal and cut down hazardous trees at Coffee Bay and Mixons Hammock. They also replaced the burned toilet at Coffee Bay. The refuge is just about set to reopen three campsites.

Coffee Bay, Canal Run, and Mixons Hammock will be open for camping on March 1. Starting February 21, campers can make reservations by calling (912) 496-3331 between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., Monday through Friday (excluding federal holidays). Reservations can be made only by phone; no walk-in registrations will be accepted. Groups are limited to 20 people. To accommodate the high demand for few sites, all trips will be limited to one night. Unfortunately, the remaining overnight platforms will remain closed due to extreme low water conditions.

Normally, reservations could be made only up to two months before the start of the trip. With the extreme drought, the trails and shelters were closed due to low water levels. To help prevent cancellations while water levels are low and fire danger continues to be high, the refuge will only accept reservations up to two weeks in advance of a trip.

To provide more opportunities for camping during low water levels, Mixons Hammock, usually restricted to organized youth groups, and Coffee Bay, a day use shelter, will be available for camping. Since there are only three sites open, Mixons Hammock and Coffee Bay will be open first-come first-served to any party that makes a reservation.

02-17-12
11:00 hrs