MARION COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – The Florida Forest Service’s Waccasassa Forestry Center is conducting two prescribed burns today to promote forest health and reduce wildfire hazards.

  • A 70-acre prescribed burn is underway in Indian Lake State Forest.
  • A 205-acre prescribed burn is being conducted in Ross Prairie State Forest.

Prescribed burns are carefully planned and executed by fire management experts under controlled weather conditions. This practice restores ecosystems that rely on fire, improves wildlife habitats, eliminates excess vegetation, and reduces the risk of severe wildfires.

Map of Indian Lake
Photo courtesy of the Florida Forest Service.
Map of Ross Prairie
Photo courtesy of the Florida Forest Service.

Prescribed fire is guided by science and designed to protect communities, wildlife, and forests, according to the website WhyPrescribedFire.org, promoted by the Florida Forest Service. It also indicates that removing overgrowth, these controlled burns make it easier to respond to wildfires while fostering new growth and protecting biodiversity.

Motorists driving near the burn areas are asked to exercise caution.