Prescribed Burning Taking Place In Several Ocean County Towns Over The Weekend

Smell smoke? Chances are its from the prescribed burning that the state Forest Fire Service is conducting over this weekend.Controlled burns are taking place in three areas in Southern Ocean County, including Barnegat, Lacey and Stafford, Manchester and Jackson townships, according to the Fire Services Facebook page.

The areas involved include the Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area in Jackson, the Greenwood Wildlife Management Area in Barnegat and Lacey, the Warren Grove Gunnery Rang, in Stafford and the Whiting Wildlife Management Area in Manchester.

The prescribed burning program eliminates the buildup of undergrowth fallen trees and branches, leaves, pine needles and other flammable debris.

"Residents are advised that they may see large plumes of smoke in areas where these controlled burns are being conducted," the DEP said in a recent release.

The burns will take place through the end of March. The burns are usually conducted in the late winter months, to minimize the amount of smoke and when weather conditions are safer.

“Prescribed burning is an important tool in keeping our forests and other wildlands safe and healthy,” Bill Edwards, Chief of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service has said. “These burns are conducted only under exacting conditions by highly trained personnel. By burning them away now, we can reduce the risk of these materials serving as tinder for wildfires later in the year. This practice also improves the overall ecological health of our forests and grasslands.”

The New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry will provide as much notice as possible of prescribed burns through its Facebook page at:www.facebook.com/newjerseyforests. The public may also contact the State Forest Fire Service at (609) 292-2977 about the prescribed burning program and where burns are expected to be conducted. When in doubt about the source of smoke or fire, call 9-1-1 or 877-WARN-DEP (877-927-6337).
Forest Fire Service personnel use hand-held torches to set smaller fires to burn debris on the ground.

Image: New Jersey State Forest Fire Service.