PALM BAY, Fla. — A prescribed burn is underway Tuesday at the Sand Lakes Restoration Area in Indian River County, where land managers say crews are treating 71 acres to reduce wildfire risk and improve habitat conditions.
The burn is taking place in the northeastern portion of the restoration area, west of Interstate 95, according to the St. Johns River Water Management District.
Officials say prescribed fire is used to clear dry vegetation and fuel that can build up over time, helping lower the chance of larger uncontrolled wildfires later in the season.
The agency said weather conditions, including wind direction, are checked before burns begin to help limit smoke impacts on nearby neighborhoods and traffic.
Even with those precautions, drivers and residents in the area may notice temporary smoke or ash during the day.
Land managers also use prescribed burns to maintain native Florida landscapes that depend on periodic fire, including areas where certain plants and wildlife thrive only when older brush is regularly cleared.
The district says these controlled burns are a routine part of long-term land management across many public properties in east and northeast Florida.
Anyone traveling near the area Tuesday may want to watch for changing visibility near I-95 as smoke shifts.
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