County event to be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at T. Mabry Carlton Jr. Memorial Reserve
Sarasota County’s annual Fire Fest will be held on Saturday, Jan. 24, to educate the public “about the importance of prescribed fire to the ecosystem and explore wildfire prevention,” county staff has announced.
Throughout the event at the T. Mabry Carlton, Jr. Memorial Reserve, staff with the Sarasota County’s Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources and Emergency Services departments, along with partners from several agencies, “will demonstrate why the county schedules prescribed burns, the benefits of fire to native habitats and wildlife and how the county manages wildfire,” a news release explains. Because of ongoing drought conditions, staff will not be conducting prescribed fire demonstrations this year, the release points out.
The free Jan. 24 event, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1800 Mabry Carlton Parkway in Venice, also will feature local exhibitors, games for children and light refreshments, the release notes.
The following is the event schedule:
- 10 a.m. — Event opens. Hayrides will run every 30 minutes.
- 11 a.m. — Sarasota K9 Search and Rescue demonstration.
- 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. — Demonstrations offered by the Sarasota County Wildfire Mitigation staff members.
“For the safety and comfort of all attendees,” it says, no pets except for service dogs will be permitted at this event.