U.S. Forest Service specialists are conducting prescribed burns on approximately 115,000 acres throughout Alabama’s four national forests—Bankhead, Conecuh, Talladega and Tuskegee—during the next six months.

A controlled burn is an annual management took to improve plant and animal habitat and overall forest health. It also reduces the build-up of hazardous fuels that could fuel wildfires that threaten communities located near national forests.

Anyone living near these national forests may see smoke columns, reduced visibility in low-lying areas and additional traffic on Forest Service roads. Divers are asked to use their low beam lights if they encounter smoke on roadways. If you have questions about the prescribed burns, contact a Forest Service district office.