Controlled burn planned for Monday in Schmidt Park
Mar. 15—ROCHESTER — A controlled burn is planned near Schmidt Park.
The Rochester Fire Department and Rochester Parks and Recreation Department will conduct grass and prairie maintenance starting at 1 p.m. Monday, March 18, in the park at 6222 24th Ave. NW. The fire department is using the burn as an opportunity to conduct training that is hard to replicate in a normal training environment.
The controlled burns will include areas that normally do not get mowed during the summer months. The teams will continue to monitor the weather and modify the schedule as needed. Burns are carried out in the spring and fall as time allows.
The work brings the potential for smoke and ash in the air while burning. The fire department recommends keeping windows closed in the area. The burns do not typically take much time.
Some of the benefits of the burns include:
* Warming the soil, which increases microbial activity for new grasses and plants to grow
* Getting rid of some invasive species and insect populations
* Reducing leaf and grass litter that accumulates each year from last year's growing season which allows the sunlight to better penetrate
* Reducing the risk of uncontrolled fires
