Brevard County prescribed burn taking place today: What is the purpose of a prescribed burn? | FOX 35 Orlando
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Brevard County prescribed burn taking place today: What is the purpose of a prescribed burn?

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Published  March 27, 2025 12:56pm EDT
Brevard County
FOX 35 Orlando

The Brief

    • The Brevard County Emergency Management Office has announced a prescribed burn planned for Thursday, March 27, in Brevard County.
    • Officials said the burn will apply to 407 acres at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
    • These controlled fires are used to reduce wildfire risk by removing combustible debris and improving forest health.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - A prescribed burn is taking place today in Brevard County.

Officials said the burn will apply to 407 acres at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

The Brevard County Emergency Management Office announced the burn in a post on X on Thursday, March 27.

But what is a prescribed burn, and what is its purpose?

What is a prescribed burn?

What we know:

The United States Department of Agriculture describes a prescribed fire, also known as a prescribed burn, as "the controlled application of fire by a team of fire experts under specified weather conditions to restore health to ecosystems that depend on fire."

Prescribed burns help Florida cutdown on wildfire risk

FOX 35's Marie Edinger speaks to officials about the importance of prescribed burns in Florida and how it helps cutdown on wildfire risk.

What is the purpose of a prescribed burn?

What they're saying:

Officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture said fires can be good for both people and the land.

"After many years of fire exclusion, an ecosystem that needs periodic fire becomes unhealthy," officials said. "Trees are stressed by overcrowding; fire-dependent species disappear; and flammable fuels build up and become hazardous."

RELATED: Florida leads the nation in prescribed burns for wildfire mitigation efforts

Authorities said the right fire at the right place at the right time can:

  • Reduce hazardous fuels, protecting human communities from extreme fires
  • Minimize the spread of pests, insects and disease
  • Remove unwanted species that threaten species native to an ecosystem
  • Provide forage for game
  • Improve habitats for threatened and endangered species
  • Recycle nutrients back to the soil
  • Promote the growth of trees, wildflowers and other plants

The U.S. Forest Service manages prescribed fires and even some wildfires to benefit natural resources and reduce the risk of unwanted wildfires in the future. The agency also uses hand tools and machines to thin overgrown sites in preparation for the eventual return of fire.

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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Brevard County Emergency Management Office in a social media post on March 27, 2025, as well as information collected from the United States Department of Agriculture. 

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