Why controlled burns the last two Sundays

Frequent mid-week rains of late have led the U-S Forest Service to carry out controlled burns during the last two Sundays in Mountain Rest.  That has displeased some Mountain Rest folks who complain they haven’t been able to enjoy what have been rare sunny weekends because of all of the smoke in the skies. Robbie Sitzlar, ranger for the Andrew Pickens District of the Sumter National Forest, acknowledges the complaints, but says crews are dependent on clear conditions to conduct the burns and would prefer not to conduct them on Sundays.  Yesterday’;s burn involved 900 acres in the vicinity of Cassidy Bridge Road; the March 1 burn was 2,500 acres in the Grapevine area of Mountain Rest.  The burns are beneficial for wildlife habitat and reduce the fuels that lead to wildfires.