Prescribed fires to be conducted at Dunnellon, FL preserve during January- March
Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD)
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD, an acronym commonly pronounced as Swift-Mud) will be conducting prescribed burns January through March, 2024 on the Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve near Dunnellon in Marion County, Florida to reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control.
The Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve is located 2 miles east of Dunnellon and 7 miles northeast of the city of Hernando, Florida, bounded by County Road 484 on the north, State Road 200 on the southeast and the Withlacoochee River on the southwest. Approximately 500 acres will be burned in small, manageable units. The SWFWMD conducts prescribed fires on approximately 30,000 acres each year.
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.
See aerial footage from a prescribed fire where water district staff members burned 320 acres in the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve at Vimeo.com/425526377.