SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Seminole County residents woke up Friday morning to a strong smell of smoke and hazy skies, prompting concern and calls to local authorities.
Seminole County Fire Department officials said the main source of the smoke was likely a much larger prescribed burn conducted Thursday in the Wekiva River Basin.
The controlled burn covered about 200 acres and was part of regular land management.
The smoke was very noticeable on Friday morning, not just because of its source but also because of how it behaved in the atmosphere.
Meteorologists said a temperature inversion, which occurs when a layer of warm air above cooler air at ground level, trapped the smoke and prevented it from dispersing.
As a result, the smoke stayed near the ground, creating a denser, more visible haze across the area.
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