PALM BAY, Fla. — Two prescribed burns are being conducted in the Palm Bay area Thursday, one by the St. Johns River Water Management District and another by Brevard County Emergency Management.
An 8,226-acre prescribed burn is underway at Three Forks Conservation Area in Brevard County, located within the Indian River Lagoon and Upper St. Johns River Basin. The burn area is in the central portion of the property, just south of the Thomas O. Lawton Recreation Area, the district announced.
Another burn of 835 acres is taking place west of Interstate 95 and south of Micco Road on the border of Brevard and Indian River counties.
The burns could generate some smoke and ash, though the district said it plans the burns to ensure that wind and other weather conditions are correct for managing the fire and minimizing the impacts of smoke to residents and traffic.
District officials said prescribed burns are a land management tool designed to "enhance the land’s environmental quality and protect its neighbors from destructive wildfires." They destroy excess vegetation and grass that could fuel wildfires.
If smoke is visible in the surrounding areas, officials said residents and visitors should follow these guidelines if it clouds visibility on the roadways:
- Turn on headlights
- Slow down, practice defensive driving, and give other vehicles ample space
- Roll-up windows and set cabin air to “recirculate” instead of pulling air from outside
- Drive predictably: avoid abrupt braking, always use turn signals, and do not tailgate other vehicles
- No hazard lights: using hazard lights at slow speeds in low visibility can create the illusion of a stopped vehicle
