INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Commuters near Interstate 95 might see or smell smoke or flames Wednesday from a 350-acre prescribed burn where a private rancher is burning off old vegetation, officials said.
The controlled burn was not expected to impact traffic.
The burning was set from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at an agricultural area west of I-95 and north of State Road 60, according to the Florida Forest Service. The rancher is burning off the shrub so new vegetation can grow for livestock, Forest Service spokeswoman Melissa Yunas said.
The flames will also help to remove ticks and parasites that can harm cattle, Yunas said.
All prescribed burns must be authorized by the Forest Service. The authorizations depend on weather conditions for the day of the burn and the next day, Yunas said.
Those who want to request burn authorizations can contact Forest Service at 863-467-3221 or through the agency’s website.