Why is there smoke in the air? Prescribed burn to be conducted at Houston Arboretum this week

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The Houston Arboretum & Nature Center announced that it will conduct a prescribed fire in the Houston area this week.

The prescribed fire will be associated with the Houston Fire Department, which will occur between Tuesday, Feb. 20, and Thursday, Feb. 22, near the Donor Boardwalk and the Savanna Field Station.

The burn may be rescheduled pending unsuitable conditions from wind speed and direction, the arboretum said.

"Historically, the Houston region burned every two to four years from natural occurrences," Stephen Benigno, conservation director of the Houston Arboretum, said. "Our landscapes are reliant on fire. And we're seeing the positive impacts of fire on the diversity of native vegetation and reduction of invasive species in areas where prescribed fires have previously been conducted."

In February 2023, the Meadow area was the subject of the latest controlled burn. It will also mark the fourth prescribed fire at the Houston Arboretum since March 2021.

HFD advises nearby cars to slow down, use their headlights, and follow any posted lower-speed restrictions. There will be fire crews in the vicinity of the burn.

Residents and drivers in close proximity to the burn may notice smoke rising from the fire.

"Another significant benefit of the burn is to educate people about the use of fire as a tool for land management and wildfire prevention," Benigno said. "The Arboretum is centrally located in the fourth largest city in the country, and successfully executing a prescribed fire is a wonderful learning opportunity for the public."

For more information about the controlled fire, you can visit the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center website.