USFS plans controlled burns

GAINESVILLE - The U.S. Forest Service Forest Service, plans to conduct controlled burns between now and May 15 on about 27,200 acres of National Forest lands located in Chattooga, Fannin, Gordon, Greene, Habersham, Jasper, Jones, Lumpkin, Murray, Oglethorpe, Putnam, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, and Walker counties in Georgia.

One of them is planned today in Habesham and Stephens counties and smoke from the fire may be evident as far away as Hall and Franklin counties, according to the Georgia Forestry Commission.

The forest services says controlled burns are used to reduce heavy fuel loads of overgrown vegetation, to protect nearby homes from uncontrolled wildfire and to enhance wildlife habitat and the overall health of the forest.

Certain environmental conditions must be met before the Forest Service can conduct controlled burns. Months of planning are involved and weather conditions must be right before the controlled burns can occur. Forest Service specialists look at factors such as wind direction, wind speed, temperature, humidity and ground moisture. Controlled burns will only be conducted when the correct weather indices are obtained. The controlled burn plan ensures all precautions are taken to manage the fire safely.

Partner agencies which will be helping conduct these controlled burns include the Georgia Forestry Commission, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and local Volunteer Fire Departments.

Maps and descriptions of the proposed burn areas are currently available in all Forest Service offices and on the website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/conf under the section entitled ?Fire Information?. To receive updates when new information is available on controlled burns, you can sign up to follow the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ChattOconeeNF.