An 85-acre controlled burn is underway at Starkey Wilderness Preserve in Pasco County after the Southwest Florida Water Management District ignited the fire Tuesday, Aug. 11, at 11 a.m.
The district confirmed the burn was still active Wednesday, Aug. 12, according to a Tampa Bay Region Alert posted on its website. The burn unit sits 3.5 miles west of the Suncoast Parkway and 2.5 miles east of the Starkey Park entrance, placing smoke within range of Land O' Lakes neighborhoods.
The Florida Forest Service authorized the burn, which is subject to change based on weather and safety conditions.
Why the district burns
The district said prescribed burns protect conservation lands from uncontrolled wildfires while promoting ecosystem health. Pine flatwoods, the dominant habitat at Starkey, depend on periodic fire to remain healthy, according to conservation land managers.
Controlled fire clears underbrush, branches, pine needles and leaves that accumulate on the forest floor, according to the Hillsborough Soil and Water Conservation District. Reducing that fuel load lowers the intensity of any wildfire that might ignite later.
Recent wildfires in Pasco County
The controlled burn comes after a string of uncontrolled wildfires tested Pasco County crews this year. Pasco County Fire Rescue and the Florida Forest Service battled a 500-plus-acre brush fire near State Road 52 and Ehren Cutoff that started Thursday, June 25. In April, a 90-acre brush fire broke out at Starkey Wilderness Park itself, reaching 90% containment by that afternoon, Pasco County Fire Rescue reported on X on April 10.
The county imposed an emergency burn ban starting Jan. 28 after prolonged drought left conditions extremely dry.
Smoke alerts and what's next
Residents who want advance notice of future prescribed burns can sign up for email or text alerts at WaterMatters.org/PrescribedBurnsAlerts. The district also posts notifications on Facebook, X, Nextdoor and its website.
Most prescribed fires wrap up in a single day, though land managers sometimes allow a burn to continue overnight if the area is secure and smoke will not affect nearby communities.
