NAPLES, FLa. — There is a scheduled prescribed burn happening at the Picayune Strand State Forest on January 30. The fire is scheduled by the Florida Forest Service to be done on 1,222 acres in the forest.
The purpose of having prescribed burns is to reduce the understory surface fuels for wildfire safety, as a form of ecological management for wildlife habitat management. South Florida slash pine, Sabal palm, and Cypress serve as the canopy in this area with saw palmetto, Brazilian peppertree, and various grasses forming the understory.
The boundaries of the prescribed burn are I-75 on the North side, Old Prairie Canal on the East side, 55th Avenue SE on the South side, and Merritt Canal on the West side. The forest is positioned East of Naples, South of I-75, and North of US 41. Motorists and residents should exercise caution in the area.
