Two prescribed burns set for Feb. 3

Weather conditions are favorable for Volusia County’s Land Management staff to conduct prescribed burns on Wednesday, Feb. 3.

A 30-acre burn is planned for Longleaf Pine Preserve, which is west of New Smyrna Beach. The burn will take place north of Pioneer Trail and west of State Road 415. There will be no impact to public trails.

A 20-acre burn is planned for Hickory Bluff Preserve, Osteen. All trails and the campground will be closed for the day. The burn, which will take place south of Maytown Road at the end of Guise Road, will include the trailhead and campground area.

Historically, nature provided all the tools needed to maintain healthy habitats of natural lands. With the advent of fire suppression, fragmentation due to development, exotic species and user impacts, most natural lands are overgrown. Human intervention is now needed to provide the factors necessary for a healthy habitat.

To restore and maintain the diversity of the ecosystems, prescribed fire is one of the many tools Volusia County uses to manage conservation lands. Prescribed fire has many benefits, such as eliminating dry and overgrown vegetation, reducing the risk of wildfires, increasing seeding, fruiting and forage quality in plants, and improving wildlife habitats. While other land management treatments are sometimes used, prescribed fire is the most effective, because of the complex chemical, biological and physical processes that fire stimulates.

For more information about prescribed burns, visit volusia.org/prescribed-burning.