The red area on the map indicates the location of the U.S. Forest Service’s controlled burn of 1,400 acres in Northeast Georgia Friday. (Source: US Forest Service)
Large plumes of smoke visible in the southern end of Habersham County stirred some concerns Friday but it was a controlled burn. The Forest Service burned 1,400 acres in the Lake Russell Wildlife Management Area located five miles south of Toccoa and east of Cornelia and Mt. Airy.
According to the agency’s website, the burn was designed to “return fire as a natural part of the ecosystem, improve wildlife habitat and maintain healthy forest conditions.”
More prescribed fire information and burn maps are available at go.usa.gov/JX93
