If you see smoke today, here’s why

The St. Johns River Water Management District is conducting a 68-acre prescribed burn Tuesday, Aug. 22, at Lake Apopka North Shore in Lake County. 

The burn’s purpose is to reduce hazardous fuel loads and maintenance of fire-dependent natural communities.

Prescribed fire is the use of carefully planned fire purposefully set under stringent conditions to manage the fire's effects. Before conducting a burn, the district ensures wind and other weather conditions are correct for managing the fire and minimizing the impacts of smoke to residents and traffic.

Periodic prescribed fires on district lands enhance the land’s environmental quality and protect its neighbors from destructive wildfires — but not without the possibility of temporary nuisances, such as smoke and ash.

Prescribed fires help prevent wildfires by burning fuels that naturally build up over time while also helping to manage the growth of woody shrubs.

To learn more about the district’s prescribed burn program, visit the district's website.

The St. Johns River Water Management District is one of five districts in Florida managing groundwater and surface water supplies in the state. The district encompasses all or part of 18 northeast and east-central Florida counties.