FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 2, 2018
DEP Celebrates Prescribed Fire
Awareness Week
~DEP's Florida Park Service and Florida Coastal Office use prescribed fire as a
land-management tool~
 Prescribed burning, which is guided by detailed plans and must be conducted by specially trained staff, is an important land-management activity.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida
Department of Environmental Protection is celebrating Prescribed Fire Awareness
Week this week to recognize the important role fire plays in protecting Florida’s
natural communities. Many of Florida’s ecosystems require fire at regular
intervals to maintain diversity. Prescribed fire is also a safe way to ensure
ecosystem health while reducing wildfire risk.
“The department is committed to protecting, restoring and maintaining Florida's prized properties," said DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein. "Land-management tools, such as prescribed fire, are vital to the health of the unique natural areas found within Florida's state parks, aquatic preserves and national estuarine research reserves.
Prescribed burning, which is guided
by detailed plans and must be conducted by specially trained staff, is an
important land-management activity that benefits many of the nearly 800,000
acres entrusted to the Florida State Park system. In fiscal year 2016-17, the state
of Florida invested more than $12.8 million
for resource management in state parks and aquatic preserves, helping the Florida Park Service to
set lofty goals for prescribed fire. This fiscal year, the Florida Park Service
plans to apply prescribed fire to 96,167 acres across Florida – more than any
previous year.
DEP's Florida Coastal Office also utilizes prescribed burns as a land-management tool for Florida's Aquatic Preserves and National Estuarine Research Reserves. Prescribed burns are used to reduce fuel loads, manage wildlife habitat, increase ecosystem diversity and assist in invasive plant control within these natural areas. Conducted with the Florida Forest Service, partnering land managers and local fire departments, this coordination ensures burns are conducted safely and efficiently. Prescribed fires are conducted only by highly trained and professional
staff and only when weather conditions are suitable. To learn more about the
role of prescribed fire, visit www.goodfires.org.
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