An Everglades National Park helicopter flies over a river of sawgrass shooting special firestarting balls in an area east of Shark Valley Road in the northern section of the park to create a controlled burn. The fire was planned for two years and had to meet exact wind, temperature and moisture content levels to be started. The fire was set at about 11 a.m. Monday, March 5, 2012.
Smoke may be visible Monday from Everglades National Park, where a controlled fire burn will be lit in the eastern district of the park.
The process begins at 10 a.m. when the park’s fire and aviation division will burn a 31,000-acre area south of US 41/Tamiami Trail into park lands and west of the Shark Valley park entrance and Visitor Center, and then east of the L-67 canal.
The fire is meant to burn off fuel in the area referred to as River of Grass.
This is not the first time there has been a controlled fire in this area. In November 2011, park firefighters burned a large portion of the same area when water levels were high and help was needed with the heavy fuel loading in the area.
Controlled burns are an important part of resource management at Everglades National Park. Information on the fire management program at the park can be found on the park website http://www.nps.gov/ever/parkmgmt/firemanagement.htm.For information on the burn, call Everglades Fire Dispatch at 305-242-7850.