FRANKLIN, N.C. — A prescribed burn will take place Wednesday, Feb. 9 in Macon County.

The burn will be conducted on 2,000 acres, according to a release from the Nantahala Ranger District.

The Bartram Trail will be temporarily closed for the day between Appletree trailhead and the trailhead at the Duke powerhouse in the Nantahala Gorge. Officials say the closure is for both visitor and firefighter safety.

The forestry service says the burn will help “reduce fuels within the understory of the forest to help reduce the risk of wildfires.”