PHOENIX – The Tres Rios Wetlands is undergoing a prescribed burn on Tuesday morning, sending lots of smoke into the air.
What we know:
The wetland is located near 91st Avenue and Baseline Road in Phoenix. The burn will end around 4 p.m. Oct. 7.
According to the U.S. Forest Service, these kinds of burns are important.
“Did you know fire can be good for people and the land? After many years of fire exclusion, an ecosystem that needs periodic fire becomes unhealthy. Trees are stressed by overcrowding; fire-dependent species disappear; and flammable fuels build up and become hazardous. The right fire at the right place at the right time,” the agency said.
Dig deeper:
So, what is the Tres Rios Wetlands?
The city of Phoenix says, “The lush and scenic Tres Rios is now home to more than 150 different species of birds and animals like muskrats, raccoons, skunks, coyotes, bobcats, and beavers. The beautiful cottonwood groves, willows, mesquites, and other desert shrubs around the reed-lined ponds and along the trail attract many migratory and wintering songbirds. By bringing the Salt River back to the condition it was in during the early 1800s, this project is repairing a natural habitat. The reclaimed water from the wastewater treatment plant is pumped over to the wetlands, and the plants and animals take what they need before it is discharged back into the river.”