Fire crews were working on a prescribed fire in the Tres Rios Wetlands on Oct. 7, filling southwest Valley skies with smoke that could be seen miles away.
Fire operations were underway on a 50-acre plot of the wetlands, about 16 miles southwest of downtown Phoenix, according to a social media post at 8:18 a.m. by the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management.
The burn is a joint effort by the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management and Phoenix Fire Department to reduce invasive plant species and overgrown vegetation in the 700-acre wetlands, officials said. All prescribed fires are dependent on weather conditions and available resources.
The Tres Rios Wetlands are located near 91st Avenue and Broadway Road in west Phoenix, near the Salt River, according to a city website.
The burn improves the health of the ecosystem and reduces hazardous fuels, Phoenix officials said in a news release. “Fire helps eliminate invasive plant species and provides nutrients to the soil, making it an essential management tool for the wetlands,” the city’s news release stated.
The wetlands operation is just one of more than a dozen planned this fall and winter across Arizona, according to the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management.
“Throughout the fall and winter, DFFM prepares to take advantage of the normally cooler temperatures to accomplish thousands of acres in project work to provide for wildfire risk reduction, community protection, and to benefit overall forest health,” spokesperson Tiffany Davila said in a release.
In addition to providing ecological benefits, the prescribed burn presents a training opportunity and enables the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management to deliver “continuing education and hands-on prescribed fire training to members of the Phoenix Fire Department,” Davila said.
The wetlands burn was scheduled to last until 4 p.m., depending on weather conditions.
91st Avenue would be closed from the 91st Avenue Wastewater Treatment Plant North Gate to Baseline Road during the burn, fire officials said. Traffic was expected to become congested along Broadway Road, and motorists should consider alternate routes.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Prescribed fire at Tres Rios Wetlands makes Phoenix-area skies hazy
