Fire is a natural part of almost all of our Florida ecosystems, so we know we're going to have wildfires. When we experience periods of extended drought, we can have major wildfire problems like we had in 1998. Because of the number of Floridians who now live in the wildland/urban interface, it doesn't take a severe fire year to put homes at risk. Almost every time a wildfire occurs, homes or structures of some type are threatened.
We must do our best to manage our Florida forests and wildlands so that when wildfires do occur, they do not become disasters. This means taking action now to reduce accumulated vegetation (wildland fuel), before wildfires occur.
Mechanical treatment (mowing) is a fuel reduction technique that is frequently used when homes are adjacent to wildlands with large amounts of accumulated fuel. Mowing does not eliminate the fuel (vegetation), but reduces the fuel volume and puts it on the ground, creating a safety zone or firebreak between the homes and the wildland area. The safety zone must, however, be treated at one- to three-year intervals to maintain its effectiveness.
The most economical and most effective way to reduce vegetative buildup is through prescribed burning. Prescribed fire mimics the natural role of fire. It helps perpetuate the plant communities and wildlife species that keep our ecosystems healthy. Most importantly, prescribed fire helps reduce the chance of a disastrous wildfire.
Periodic prescribed fires in forests and wildland areas protect nearby homes by eliminating hazardous accumulations of wildland fuel, but not without some inconvenience. Smoke and ash travel with the wind and find their way to people's yards and pools, and smoke can cause temporary visibility problems on our roadways. A little smoke and ash now, however, is much better than the tragedies that can accompany a disastrous wildfire.