DAVIS COUNTY, Utah — State officials are advising Utahns that if they see smoke along the eastern shore of the Great Salt Lake over the next few days, it's most likely from a prescribed burn and not a wildfire.
The Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands is planning prescribed burns in these wetland areas on Thursday, Friday and/or Saturday. The agency said they'll try to only burn when the wind conditions are "favorable" so that the smoke will impact neighborhoods and roadways as little as possible.
The goal of these burns is "critical habitat restoration" and "resource management." The FFSL agency, which is part of the Department of Natural Resources, said they hope to remove phragmites (an invasive plant species), restore natural wetland ecosystems, and reduce water loss.
WATCH: Spread of invasive, water-sucking phragmites often requires 3-year treatment in Utah's wetlands
FFSL officials said smoke will most likely be seen along the shoreline between Ogden and Kaysville. "Do not report as a wildfire," the agency wrote in Wednesday's announcement.
"Prescribed fire is one of several methods used to manage invasive phragmites," the announcement read. "Other approaches include mowing and cattle grazing. While mowing is the most commonly used and reliable method, it is also the most time-intensive and costly. Prescribed burning remains the fastest and most cost-effective approach for large-scale treatment."
