Breaking News: Prescribed fire at Wekiwa Springs State Park
Planned burns reduce wildfire risk, restore ecosystems, and support native wildlife, but may come with short-term smoke and ash
Prescribed burns like this one are intentional, controlled fires that clear out dry grass and underbrush that could fuel more destructive wildfires.
Photo by Ethan Swope/Getty Images through The Conversation.
Posted
From the City of Apopka
The Wekiva River Basin staff will conduct a prescribed fire at Wekiwa Springs State Park today. The fire location is adjacent to Rock Springs Road, approximately ¼ mile south of Kelly Park Road.
The burn will cover approximately 287 fire-type acres of the total 434 acres.
Related: Controlled burns reduce wildfire risk but require trained staff and funding − this could be a rough year.
Apopka and surrounding area residents and travelers may see or smell smoke in the air throughout the duration of this burn.
Prescribed fire is the use of carefully planned fire purposefully set under stringent conditions to manage the fire's effects.
Periodic prescribed fires on lands enhance their environmental quality and protect their neighbors from destructive wildfires, but not without the possibility of temporary nuisances, such as smoke and ash.
Prescribed fires help prevent wildfires by burning off fuels that naturally build up over time while also managing the growth of woody shrubs.
In fire-dependent ecosystems, fire is nearly as important as rainfall and sunshine. Prescribed fire benefits include restoring and maintaining natural communities, reducing the chances of destructive wildfires, perpetuating fire-adapted plants and animals, cycling nutrients, managing tree diseases, and opening scenic vistas.
This breaking news may be updated if more details are known in future editions of The Apopka Voice.
Keywords
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Prescribed Burn,
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Is a prescribed burn good for the environment?
