Prescribed burn to be lit in Chipley
The woods near Roulac Middle School in Chipley will be on fire today, but there is no need for alarm, firefighters will be the ones igniting the blaze.
The Florida Forest Service has been searching for the right weather for this high-profile control burn in a 30-acre stand of planted pine trees and the weather is cooperating today, wildfire mitigation specialist Brian Goddin wrote in an email. The control burn will ensure ecosystem health and reducing vegetation that could fuel a real wildfire.
The area is owned by the District School Board of Washington County and is part of the students’ agricultural curriculum.
The burn is considered high profile because of the area's proximity to Interstate 10, and highways 77, 90 and 277, according to a news release. The Florida Forest Service wrote they chose a day they hope weather conditions will minimize the effects of residual smoke on the roads, businesses and neighborhoods.
