Prescribed fires scheduled for Citrus County, July-Sept., to reduce risk of wildfires
Aerial view of the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve where SWFWMD burned 320 acres.
Citrus County, Florida - The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting prescribed burns in two locations within Citrus County, during July through September, to reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control, as happened in Florida during the state’s wildfire emergency in 2017. Florida's water management districts conduct prescribed fires on approximately 30,000 acres within Florida each year.
The Citrus County prescribed fires will be conducted on approximately 1,500 acres - in small, manageable units during July through September, 2021 - on two land preserve locations. Approximately 500 acres will be burned on Potts Preserve near Hernando, Florida, and approximamtely 1,000 acres will be burned in Flying Eagle Preserve near Inverness, Florida.
Potts Preserve is located approximately 2 miles east of Hernando, Florida and 3.5 miles north/northeast of Inverness, Florida. The property is located east and southeast of State Road 200, and north of Turner Camp Road; it is bordered on the east by the Withlacoochee River.
Flying Eagle Preserve is located southeast of Inverness, Florida, approximately 8 miles west of the Interstate 75/State Road 44 interchange (located in Wildwood, Sumter County, Florida).
Some major benefits of prescribed fire include:
•Reducing overgrown plants, which decreases the risk of catastrophic wildfires.
•Promoting the growth of new, diverse plants.
•Maintaining the character and condition of wildlife habitat.
•Maintaining access for public recreation.
To see aerial footage from a prescribed fire in the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve where District land management staff burned 320 acres, click here: vimeo.com/425526377.