Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
NASA, in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and commercial space partners, conducted prescribed burns on approximately 2,600 acres of scrub habitat at Kennedy Space Center during an active launch countdown. This is the first time such burns have occurred simultaneously with launch operations at the world's busiest spaceport.
The burns covered a 1,400-acre area at Happy Creek on the center's northeast corner—a habitat vital for the federally protected Florida scrub-jay—and a separate 1,200-acre site east of Kennedy Parkway and south of the industrial zone, near key NASA infrastructure such as the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building and the Space Systems Processing Facility.
Previously, launch operations at Kennedy were paused when prescribed fires were used within the center’s secure area and the surrounding Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. With Kennedy surpassing 100 launches in 2025 and expecting increased frequency, NASA and its partners recognized the need to maintain both launch schedules and environmental safety.
Greg Gaddis, senior operations manager for the spaceport, emphasized the importance of reducing ground fuel for wildfires while supporting government and commercial launches. Uncontrolled fires caused by lightning or other factors could seriously impact NASA’s space initiatives and private industry.
The prescribed burn manager weighs factors such as the increasing launch cadence and weather conditions—especially Florida’s dry season breezes from the Atlantic, which can quickly expand a small fire. These risks threaten protected species and critical infrastructure, making safety the highest priority.