Event designed to educate the public about the need for prescribed burns; family-friendly activities also planned
On Saturday, Feb. 2, Sarasota County once again will host Fire Fest at the T. Mabry Carlton Jr. Memorial Reserve in Venice, the county has announced.
The annual event, which will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., “seeks to educate and inform the public about the importance of fire to the ecosystem,” a county news release points out. Staff of the Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Department, along with representatives of Sarasota County Emergency Services, will demonstrate why the county schedules prescribed burns, explain the initiatives’ benefits to native habitats and wildlife, and talk about how the county manages wildfire, the release adds.
The free event will also feature local exhibitors, helicopter water drops, games, nature walks and refreshments, the release notes. Additionally, a free raffle will give attendees a chance to win an original print by Clyde Butcher, who is known for his black and white photography of the natural environment, the release points out
Sarasota County is committed to environmental stewardship, the release says. This event supports that commitment by demonstrating the value of prescribed burns in protecting public lands and surrounding communities, the release adds.
The T. Mabry Carlton, Jr. Memorial Reserve is location at 1800 Mabry Carlton Parkway.
For more information, or to learn about prescribed burns, call the county Contact Center at 861-5000 or visit www.scgov.net.