Don't be alarmed! Prescribed burn underway at Houston Arboretum

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- If you see smoke at the Houston Arboretum this afternoon, don't be alarmed.

The Houston Fire Department is conducting a prescribed burn in the area that's meant to benefit the native grassland.

"Fire is something that would've been in this landscape, historically. every three to five years," said Christine Mansfield, the senior marketing and development manager at the Houston Arboretum. "It is something we have done at the arboretum. It was done before in the 90s, but we hadn't been able to coordinate since because of local ordinances."

The prescribed burn began just after 1 p.m. Due to the burn, the arboretum is closed to the public the entire day.

For information on Wildland Fire Management and prescribed fire, visit Texas Park and Wildlife's website.