The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting “controlled, prescribed burns” during June, July and August on the District’s Chito Branch Reserve and the District’s Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area, which includes Flatwoods Park and the Oak Ridge and Washburn Equestrian areas.
The Chito Branch Reserve is approximately 10 miles south of Plant City and borders Tampa Bay Water’s C.W. “Bill” Young Regional Reservoir. Approximately 400 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.
The District’s Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area is located off Bruce B. Downs Boulevard in the New Tampa area. Approximately 600 acres of land will be burned in small, manageable units.
The scheduled, managed burns are a part of routine maintenance of lands managed by the District.
According to District Land Manager Kevin W. Love, burns are implemented to mimic natural fire cycles under a controlled situation. The object is to avoid uncontrolled wildfires and enhance the area’s natural conditions by maintaining the ecological and wildlife habitat values. Prescribed burns are only conducted when weather conditions allow the objectives to be met while minimizing impacts to the public.
Every effort will be made to ensure that smoke will not affect homes or highways. However, vehicle operators should exercise caution in case smoke does lead to reduced visibility on the area’s roads or highways.
To meet various water management needs, the District has acquired approximately 435,000 acres of environmentally sensitive and water resource related lands.
For more information, please call the District at 352-796-7211 or 1-800-423-1476, ext. 4465.