Fire! Fire!              Chris Rasmussen        Leader Staff

Fort Jackson and surrounding communities can expect to see some smoke coming from the installation’s cantonment area. The only question is, “When?” The Forestry Branch of the Directorate of Public Works is planning to burn grass and other vegetation in Semmes Lake sometime during the next few weeks before the lake is filled. “We won’t know until the day before because we are looking for the perfect conditions,” said Sara Clayborne, fire management officer. “We are looking for a really windy day. Generally, we don’t burn in the cantonment area, but there is no way around it for this.” Burning vegetation in the 23-acres lake is only expected to take a couple of hours. “We will not be able to reduce all of it, but we feel there is a good bit dry enough to burn,” Clayborne said.  Forestry officials are also waiting for the Army Corps of Engineers to complete construction of a 70-foot fishing pier, which is expected to be completed next week. Portions of Semmes Road and Marion Avenue will be closed during the burn and the fire department will monitor the fire and protect the new pier. Semmes Lake was drained in November 2006 to allow for the construction of a new dam. The $1.2 million project entailed replacing a drainage pipe underneath Semmes Road, which acts as an emergency spillway for the dam, with a larger pipe. The dam was beginning to fail because the pipe had a large crack in it and dirt was starting to fill it up. The problem also caused Semmes Road to sink where it passed over the drainage pipe.   The lake will be restocked with a balanced population of large-mouth bass, brim and sunfish. Once the lake is restocked, fishing will be prohibited for a year to 18 months to allow the species a chance to grow. Chris.Rasmussen@us.army.mil