Prescribed Burns Help Prevent Wildfires

Where there's smoke there's fire, and that's a good thing when it comes to managing Hillsborough County's conservation lands. The concept of prescribed fire is a time-honored land management tool offering many benefits.

All of Florida's natural habitats have evolved over thousands of years with the help of fire. Without prescribed fire in today's world, these habitats would become overgrown and lose many of their natural characteristics.

County residents who live near preserves and conservation lands should rest assured that while the sight of smoke can be alarming, the reduction in forest fuel that results from prescribed burning also helps to protect property from the threat of wildfires.

It doesn't take much for forest fires to spread, as is evidenced by the wildfires that have devastated many states in recent years. Prescribed burning helps minimize the fuel that contributes to wildfires.

Prescribed burning also helps the land retain nutrients that nourish the new plant life that takes root in the burned areas. The elimination of overgrowth gives way to new growth. Prescribed fire is the orchestrated rejuvenation of conservation lands.

Another benefit of prescribed burning is the control of disease and pests among forest vegetation.

Unlike uncontrolled wildfire, prescribed fire is rarely harmful to wildlife.

So the next time there is smoke rising from a preserve, it's likely the good fire of a prescribed burn protecting land and property from the destructive forces of uncontrolled wildfire.

Check here for the latest prescribed burn in Hillsborough County.