July 2025
Q: What is a prescribed burn?
A: A prescribed burn, also known as a prescribed fire, is a fire intentionally ignited by land managers to meet specific land management goals and objectives. The burns follow a written prescription, which outlines the defined fire treatment area, specific weather parameters that are required to meet the objectives, the tactics staff will use, and the staffing and equipment resources that are required to safely conduct the burn. Additionally, a smoke management plan is prepared to identify smoke sensitive areas, which are places where smoke from prescribed fires is intolerable, like schools and hospitals.
Q: Why does the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) conduct prescribed burns?
A: The District conducts prescribed fires to mimic the natural process and benefits of fire in Florida’s ecosystems. Nearly every natural community in Florida is shaped by fire and these natural communities rely on periodic fire for their health and persistence. In addition to natural systems enhancements, periodic prescribed burns help to protect the water resources on District conservation lands.
Q: How does the District plan prescribed burns?
A: District land management staff take great care to analyze the condition of District properties and identify the most appropriate areas to burn, as well as the best time of year and under what conditions to meet the burn goals and objectives. Staff use a geographic information system database, natural plant community data, and site knowledge to develop an annual burn plan for District-managed conservation lands. Land managers determine what areas to burn based on habitat type, time since the last fire on that property, and weather conditions. The most common Florida natural community habitats historically burn every two to four years. District staff attempt to mimic this same interval and base goals on burning areas once every four years, while burning more frequently when possible.
Q: What are the benefits of a prescribed burn?
A: There are many benefits to burning, most importantly reducing the risk of a catastrophic wildfire. Additional benefits of prescribed fire include protecting and enhancing water resources, promoting plant diversity, improving wildlife and grazing habitat, conserving fire-dependent species, controlling forest insects and diseases, and improving recreational access. Another significant benefit of prescribed burns is hazard fuel reduction. Given Florida’s nearly yearlong growing season, plants and other vegetation accumulate quickly in these natural systems if they are not burned routinely. District land managers conduct prescribed burns to reduce this vegetative fuel buildup, which decreases the risk of catastrophic wildfires. This fuel reduction provides for increased protection of life and property as well as provides for firefighter safety.
Q: How does the District notify the public about prescribed burns?
A: The District recently began emailing and/or texting prescribed burn alerts directly to members of the public who sign up through the District’s website. The prescribed burn alerts explain where and when the burns will take place and how many acres will be burned. The District also notifies county and municipal fire departments, adjacent neighbors and recreationists, as well as the Florida Turnpike Enterprise, the Florida Highway Patrol and/or other law enforcement agencies when appropriate. The District distributes quarterly news releases to the media and sends email blasts to adjacent neighborhood associations to alert them of fire activity in their area. The District also utilizes social media outlets Facebook, Nextdoor and X (formerly known as Twitter), to spread the word about upcoming and active prescribed burns on an as-needed basis. It is also important to note that the District works closely with the Florida Forest Service and must receive a day-of burn authorization from the Florida Forest Service for every prescribed burn we conduct.
Q: How can I get notified about prescribed burns?
A: You can sign up to receive email and/or text alerts about scheduled prescribed burns in your region and learn more about the process of a prescribed burn by visiting WaterMatters.org/PrescribedBurns.
Chris Reed
Land Management Manager