Action can reduce risk of wildfires burning out of control
Because prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) will be conducting prescribed burns from this month through March within Deer Prairie Creek Preserve and the Schewe Tract in south Sarasota County, SWFWMD has announced.
Deer Prairie Creek Preserve and the Schewe Tract are located west of North Port, east of the Myakka River, and north and south of Interstate 75, a news release explains. “Approximately 499 acres will be burned in small, manageable units,” the release points out.
Among major benefits of prescribed fires are the following, the release says:
- “Reducing overgrown plants, which decreases the risk of catastrophic wildfires.
- “Promoting the growth of new, diverse plants.
- “Maintaining the character and condition of wildlife habitat.
- “Maintaining access for public recreation.”
SWFWMD conducts prescribed fires on approximately 30,000 acres each year, the release notes.
“Click here to see aerial footage from a prescribed fire in the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve, where District land management staff burned 320 acres,” the release adds.