March 19. Mecklenburg County Natural Resources staff are conducting a controlled burn today beginning around 10 am at Latta Nature Preserve. Smoke will affect air quality in the downwind area for 2-3 hours. To reduce your exposure to smoke, stay indoors or avoid areas of heavy smoke.
Smoke from a controlled burn yesterday at Cowans Ford Nature Preserve on Neck Road, Huntersville, made its way to Cornelius.
Fires have been part of the Southern landscape for millennia, according to the Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation, Natural Resources.
Sometimes, a short, planned period of smoke under ideal weather conditions is worth it to reduce the risk of property damage from a wildfire, or to improve the health and function of forests. These burns clear dense brush that is fuel for wildfires and create wildlife habitat.
North Carolina’s Open Burning Rule is one of NC’s oldest air quality regulations. It is always illegal to burn trash. The rule prohibits outdoor burning and sets conditions for allowable fires. Mecklenburg County’s Open Burning Rule is more stringent than the state’s.
The map below of Mecklenburg County Nature Preserves, with Latta in the center, displays where burn units exist, and where a controlled burn may be taking place. If you visit a preserve that’s recently seen fire, you should see a noticeable improvement in the vegetation.
Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation, Natural Resources
For information on controlled burns visit: https://arcg.is/1XfOy0
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