VENICE -- It's the season for forestry officials in Florida to set the woods on fire, on purpose.
Prescribed burns and the smoke that goes with them, are a common site in Florida's winter. They help prevent spring wildfires by burning away overgrown vegetation. Tony Clements with Sarasota County's parks department says they're also necessary to support species that evolved with a yearly wildfire cycle, such as the Florida scrub jay and the gopher tortoise.
Sarasota County is holding a Fire Fest to show the importance of controlled burning Saturday Feb. 3rd at the Carlton Reserve near Venice. It takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Hear more about Fire Fest and prescribed burns in the podcast below.
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