This week is Prescribed Fire Awareness Week in Florida

Commissioner Wilton Simpson Highlights Prescribed Fire Awareness Week

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson and the Florida Forest Service are recognizing Jan. 26 - Feb. 1, 2025, as the state’s annual Prescribed Fire Awareness Week, emphasizing the important benefits of prescribed fire burning on Florida’s lands and forests.

“Florida is the nation’s leader in prescribed fire application, and last year’s success bore that out,” said Commissioner Wilton Simpson. “It was our most prolific year ever in mitigating and reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire in the state. This practice helps ensure the safety of lives, homes, our forests, and natural resources.”

During the 2024 fiscal year, the Florida Forest Service set a new agency record with 277,818 total acres treated in State Forests. From July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024, the agency more than doubled last year’s prescribed fire total of 131,628 acres treated and surpassed the previous annual record of 246,104 acres from 2014-2015.

Nearly half of Florida is made up of forests, the state’s top agricultural commodity. Managing these forests is essential to powering Florida’s economy, sustaining the ecosystem, and supporting the state’s infrastructure. Florida’s landscape is a fire-adapted ecosystem, depending on recurring fire to renew the forest and habitats that support native plants and animals.

“By clearing the buildup of underbrush that fuels wildfires, we can safely manage the state’s fire-dependent and fire-prone landscapes,” said Florida Forest Service Director Rick Dolan. “Prescribed fire also supports disease control in young forests, wildlife habitat improvement, range management, and the preservation of endangered plant and animal species.”

Prescribed fire allows land managers across the state to choose the conditions and areas that need to be cleared. The busy season for prescribed fires is typically between December and March, featuring cool days and more predictable winds.

Prescribed Fire Awareness Week is recognized annually during the last week of January. For more information on the importance of prescribed fire, visit WhyPrescribedFire.org.

For more information about Commissioner Simpson and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FDACS.gov.

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