What’s Burning? Residents Report Lots Of Smoke, Falling Ash

March 21, 2019

There are several large controlled burns today in the North Escambia area, prompting residents to report lots of smoke and falling ash.

The largest is just over 200 acres of ECUA property in the area south of Becks Lake Road (burn map above). We’ve received multiple reports of ash falling in the Old Chemstrand Road area from that fire. Escambia County Fire checked the complaints out and determined the ash was from the controlled burn off Becks Lake Road.

There are other controlled burns as follows:

  • Just south of Highway 196 near Jacks Branch Road
  • 210 areas around Highway 97A and Waters Ferry Road (map below)
  • Near South Pineville Road and Highway 97A
  • Northwest of Morgan Road and South Highway 99
  • Northwest of Nokomis Road and Rockaway Creek Road

Winds are generally out of the north about 10-20 mph, pushing smoke to the south from each burn area.

Comments

9 Responses to “What’s Burning? Residents Report Lots Of Smoke, Falling Ash”

  1. Charlotte Bates on March 21st, 2019 10:34 pm

    What does moving back to the city if I don’t like control burns have to do with control burns? . I never said I didn’t like it, I was concerned for the animals and the dangers that control burns could cause. And, that smoke can and does drift over to the “CITY.”

  2. Mr river on March 21st, 2019 8:32 pm

    Could I suggest moving back to the city if you don’t like control burning…JS…

  3. Florida logger on March 21st, 2019 8:16 pm

    Be nice if some large land owners like resource management services or rayoneir would go back to controlled burns that way the poor loader operator wouldn’t have so much trash and bushes to deal with

  4. orrin thomas on March 21st, 2019 4:58 pm

    Don’t worry, it is not going to cause Climate Change. The little bit of smoke and ash is harmless. It is the best way to manage forest.

  5. Lauren Mate on March 21st, 2019 3:54 pm

    I agree with Charlotte. It is windy and the weather has been dry . Not the ideal time to be doing a controlled burn.

  6. Miss E on March 21st, 2019 3:51 pm

    So, when IS a good time to have a controlled burn?
    I believe school is out this week.
    Such a beautiful Spring Day, ain’t it?
    :)

  7. CW on March 21st, 2019 3:46 pm

    Our forests are adapted to be burned, it’s natural, only we control when they burn rather than waiting on a lightning strike. Many plants and wildlife depend on the fires to keep the forest floor open. If you let the forests go decades without being burned you’ll end up with massive wildfires like you see in California.

  8. Maureen Conway on March 21st, 2019 2:53 pm

    A lot of us are out doing yard work and I don’t appreciate having to breathe this toxic plume of smoke, the ash was falling on my deck where my pets are and the smoke was blowing directly towards the Ashton Brosnahan School, where the children are out playing in the playground. I don’t think there parents would be too pleased to know this is what they’re breathing. Isn’t there a better, more environmentally friendly to accomplish this?

  9. Charlotte Bates on March 21st, 2019 2:04 pm

    Why are they doing a control burn with the wind as high as it is? And why do they always do control burns at Spring time, when a lot of birds are building nest, or sitting on nest, and ground critters are having their babies? Can’t they do this during the Winter? Or Fall?