UPDATE – Due to the wind, this burn has been rescheduled to the morning of Thursday March 21.

The Somers Fire & Rescue Department will conduct a controlled burn of the prairie on the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in the morning of Tuesday March 19.

The operation is expected to start at 8 a.m. but is weather dependent. Locations of the burns are on the map at right.

The burn should be completed by noon. Motorists and residents can expect to see smoke around the campus. Anyone with lung issues should remain away from the area. If living nearby, stay indoors and keep your windows closed in the morning.

Periodic prairie burns are a natural way to regenerate the ecosystem and keep invasive species at bay.

More information about prescribed burns is available on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources website here.