Houston Arboretum & Nature Center completes prescribed burn at Arboretum

HOUSTON – According to the Houston Fire Department, they -- in collaboration with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center -- conducted a prescribed burn at the Arboretum on Thursday.

A prescribed burn, according to the Houston Arboretum website, is “a carefully planned and executed intentional fire. When planning a prescribed fire, public safety, weather patterns, and the surrounding environment are all taken into account.”

The burn began at the Arboretum near the 610 West loop and Woodway Drive at noon, according to the HFD.

“HFD’s highly trained and certified wildland firefighters will be performing and overseeing the entire prescribed fire to establish continuity and the swift mitigation of potential life safety hazards,” the HFD wrote in a news release. “HFD will also be coordinating with Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the Houston Health Department to establish clean air (atmospheric) monitoring during the prescribed fire.”

The Houston Arboretum said the prescribed fire was complete around 5 p.m. but will continue to monitor smoldering areas over the next few hours. Although the Arboretum will reopen Friday, some trails will remain closed until further notice.

For more information on the benefits of a prescribed fire and what you should expect, visit the Houston Arboretum’s website.