Heflin, AL – Residents in Calhoun County and surrounding areas may notice smoke in the air today due to a prescribed burn conducted by the U.S. Forest Service in the Talladega National Forest.
The controlled burn covers approximately 1,292 acres, located 11 miles northeast of Heflin in the Shoal Creek Ranger District. The effort is part of a forest management plan to reduce wildfire risk by clearing excess vegetation and deadwood.
Motorists are advised to exercise caution while traveling on Forest Service Roads 549, 552, and 555, which form part of the burn boundary. Smoke may also be visible along County Roads 55, 87, and 40, as well as Forest Service Road 500. The wind is expected to carry smoke northeast, with possible settling in the Camp Creek drainage area later in the evening as temperatures drop.
Drivers encountering smoke on roadways should slow down, turn on low-beam headlights, and proceed with caution.
A prescribed burn at the Pelham Range in Calhoun County is also impacting some visibility.
There is a 150-acre wildfire south of Glencoe; however, this should not be impacting smoke in Calhoun County per local fire authorities.
Prescribed burns are a key component of maintaining healthy forest ecosystems, preventing more severe wildfires, and benefiting local communities.
