Talbot County, Maryland

03/23/2026

Category: Parks and Recreation Emergency Services

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service, in coordination with Talbot Parks and Recreation and the Department of Emergency Services, will conduct a prescribed burn at Oxford Conservation Park on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, weather conditions permitting.

The Forest Service will carry out the burn on behalf of Talbot County as part of ongoing land management efforts to improve wildlife habitat and control invasive species. The burn will take place in sections of Oxford Conservation Park, located at 4890 Boone Creek Road in Oxford.

Fire crews will be on site throughout the operation to monitor conditions and ensure the burn remains safely contained. The operation is expected to begin in the morning and last approximately 3.5 hours.

Residents in the surrounding area may notice smoke during the operation. This is a normal and expected part of the process. Motorists traveling along Route 333 and nearby roadways should use caution and be alert for reduced visibility.

While emergency medical personnel are not required to be on site for this type of operation, trained personnel will be present, and safety protocols will be in place throughout the burn.

Prescribed burns are a proactive land management tool used to maintain healthy ecosystems and reduce the risk of more severe wildfires. The planned 13-acre burn is designed to restore wetlands and meadow habitats by removing thatch and highly invasive phragmites to make way for native wildflowers and provide better viewing of the Park’s waterscapes.

The burn will only be conducted if weather and environmental conditions meet strict safety guidelines. If conditions are not favorable, the burn will be rescheduled.

For more information, please contact Talbot County Parks and Recreation at 410-770-8050 or parks@talbotgov.org, or Shannon Wolfe, Fire Manager, Maryland Forest Service, at 301-331-6432.

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