The purpose of the burn is to “reduce hazardous fuel loads and maintain fire-dependent natural communities,” the St. Johns River Water Management District said.
CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — The St. Johns River Water Management District is conducting a 139-acre prescribed burn at J.P. Hall Bayard Point Conservation Area in Clay County Wednesday, the agency told First Coast News in a press release.
The purpose of the burn is to “reduce hazardous fuel loads and maintain fire-dependent natural communities,” the release states.
Prescribed burns are done carefully, purposefully being set under “stringent conditions to manage the fire’s effects,” according to the release. Before conducting a burn, the district says it ensures that 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. However, the fires run the possibility of …