If you are seeing smoke on Mt. Lemmon, don't worry!
According to the National Weather Service, it is a 200-acre prescribed burn.
The U.S. Forest Service says the project will last one day.
Officials say prescribed fires are designed to mimic natural fires by reducing forest fuels, recycling nutrients and increasing habitat diversity.
The goals of the Mt. Lemmon prescribed fire are the following:
- Reduce the risk of high-severity wildfire occurring within the project area and reducing fuel accumulations to more natural levels.
- Restore fire, under low to moderate fire conditions, into a fire-adapted ecosystem.
- Maintain vegetation in areas to support desired future conditions.
- Reduce risk of unplanned ignitions in the Wildland/Urban Interface to reduce risk to fire personnel and the public.
@Nathanlukens @kgun9 The smoke is from a prescribed burn on Mt. Bigelow (Catalina Mountains).
— NWS Tucson (@NWSTucson) November 14, 2016
