Firefighters in High Park spark flames in “controlled burn”
Posted April 14, 2011 9:23 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO, Ont. – Residents have been advised to either keep their windows closed or leave the area as firefighters conduct a “controlled” burn in High Park Thursday afternoon.
Large clouds of smoke, along with poison ivy residue, will be scattered about as fire crews purposely burn a portion of High Park.
The burn is being conducted in coordination with Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation, and is planned to run between noon and sometime around 4 p.m.
The goal of the controlled burn is to create a savanna habitat, similar to something you would find in the Sahara desert, to help some of the dying oak trees in the park grow once again.
In recent years smaller plants have been leeching many of the nutrients from the ground, literally starving many of the oak trees in the park.
To conduct the burn, fire crews drip small mixtures of gasoline and diesel fuel onto the ground, before carefully lighting them in well-planned patterns.
A controlled burn creates flames which stay low to the ground, consuming dried leaves, small twigs and grass stems, but doing no harm to larger trees.
Fire crews will be on hand to disperse the fire to specific areas to create a simultaneous burning.
Officials said notices have been posted at park entrances advising users of restricted access during the burn.
Depending on wind patterns, nearby residents have been warned they may see smoke in their neighbourhoods, but there is no need to be alarmed.
Once the burning is complete, the ground is expected to be black for nearly a week, after which new life will spring forth from the ground.
