PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WMBB) — The City of Panama City Beach announced that prescribed burns are being conducted in the Conservation Park area.
According to a news release from city officials, on March 20, trails closed for the day include Osprey at Longleaf, Coyote, Tree Frog, Marshy Point, and Bear Track at Longleaf.
On March 21, the John Muir trail will be closed.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, prescribed burns are carried out for the following benefits:
- Reducing hazardous fuels in order to protect human communities from extreme fires;
- Minimizes the spread of pest insects and diseases;
- Removes unwanted species that threaten species native to an ecosystem;
- Provides forage for game;
- Improves habitat for threatened and endangered species;
- Recycles nutrients back into the soil; and
- Promotes the growth of trees, wildflowers, and other plants;
Maps of the affected areas can be found below:
