[Council Bluffs, Iowa] – Pottawattamie County Emergency Management Director Doug Reed reports Conservation and Emergency Management officials would like the public to be aware of a series of controlled land management burns being conducted in Council Bluffs over the next couple of days. Today (Wednesday), controlled burns will be conducted at the Narrows River Park, and near St. Patrick Catholic Church and College View Elementary on Valley View Drive.

Tomorrow (Thursday), burns are planned for the Vincent Bluff area on Thallas St. and near the Broadway Viaduct.

Controlled burning, also known as prescribed fire, is a highly effective and significant tool for many purposes. In this instance, fire will be used to remove built up combustible fuels to reduce risk in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI). “The WUI is the zone of transition where unoccupied land and human development meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuels,” said Chad Graeve, a Natural Resource Specialist with the Pottawattamie County Conservation Department. Additionally, these series of burns will be conducted to invigorate the land by promoting new growth and strengthening the habitat and overall ecosystem in those areas.

Environmental and weather conditions are optimal to conduct these controlled burns and there is very minimal risk to the public around these burns. Burns are being conducted by trained and experienced professionals with operational and contingency plans in place.

The public is asked not to approach the immediate areas where active fire is being conducted. Smoke will be visible in the various areas in and around the city during and after the burns have been conducted.