ALABAMA (WHNT) — Federal fire specialists from the USDA Forest Service will conduct mandatory burns in some of Alabama’s national forests.
Bankhead, Conecuh, Talladega and Tuskegee will suffer routine burns covering approximately 110,586 acres between February and August, weather permitting. These burns are low-intensity fires managed by trained personnel.
Combustion helps remove excess fuel — like vegetation and deadwood — that would allow the fire to burn hotter and longer. Done right, this can not only benefit the forest, but also the surrounding community and wildlife.
Mandatory fire is a critical management tool to improve plant and animal habitat and the resilience of forest landscapes to natural problems – drought, insects and disease. The fire is controlled and dependent on the availability of trained Forest Service personnel.
As they strive to minimize the impact, the public may notice smoke in various parts of the forest. If smoke is encountered on the road, the USDA requires drivers to use low beams.
The organization also said they will release updates Twitter. You can also check their website for additional information. Just look under the Know Before You Go section.
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Below you can find out how many hectares are burned, where and who to contact if you have any questions:
- Bankhead National Forest – 21,500 acres in Winston and Lawrence counties, call the office at (205) 489-5111.
- Conecuh National Forest – 41,586 acres in Escambia and Covington counties, call (334) 222-2555.
- Talladega National Forest – Talladega and Shoal Creek counties – 40,000 acres in Calhoun, Clay, Cleburne and Talladega counties, call the Heflin office at (256) 463-2272 or the Talladega office at (256) 362-2909.
- Talladega National Forest – Oakmulgee County – 35,000 acres in Bibb, Dallas, Perry, Tuscaloosa, Hale and Chilton counties, call (205) 926-9765.
- Tuskegee National Forest – 4,000 acres in Macon County, call (334) 727-2652.