Controlled burn at Hal Scott Regional Preserve and Park in Orange County

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MAITLAND, Fla., Feb. 3, 2016 — The St. Johns River Water Management District is conducting a 305-acre prescribed burn today at the Hal Scott Regional Preserve and Park in Orange County. The purpose of the burn is to reduce hazardous fuels, ecological enhancement and maintenance of fire-dependent natural communities and enhancement of red-cockaded woodpecker habitat.

Prescribed fire is the use of carefully planned fire purposefully set under stringent conditions to control the fire’s effects. Its benefits include restoring and maintaining natural communities, reducing chances of destructive wildfires, perpetuating fire-adapted plants and animals, cycling nutrients, controlling tree diseases and opening scenic vistas. Prescribed fires help prevent wildfires by burning off fuels that naturally build up over time, while also helping to control the growth of woody shrubs.