BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Prescribed burns in Central Florida on Tuesday may be the source of irritation for some residents complaining about smoke, but they're not wildfires, and everything is under control, forestry officials say.

  • Controlled burns being conducted in Brevard, Orange counties
  • Brevard prescribed burn near Viera, west of I-95, is 8,000 acres
  • Another controlled burn is in Orange, north of Osceola County line

Residents may see smoke from a large burn in Brevard County as well as another in Orange County, said Cliff Frazier, a wildfire mitigation specialist for the Florida Forest Service.

An 8,000-acre prescribed burn is being conducted by the St. Johns River Water Management District near Lake Winder Road and west of Interstate 95 in Viera, according to Brevard County Emergency Management officials. A second burn of 175 acres in Brevard is located near Babcock Street and Fellsmere Grade Road just north of Fellsmere.

Another controlled burn is south of State Road 528 and east of State Road 520 in south Orange County. The size of that fire wasn’t immediately available. The fire is north of the Osceola County line.

Controlled burns are designed to get rid of underbrush safely so they don’t provide fuel for out-of-control fire. Controlled burns also help restore native habitats.

No issues have been reported.