Don’t panic if you see smoke coming from some state parks this month.

The SC Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism will be conducting controlled burns during Prescribed Fire Awareness Month.

Prescribed burns reduce hazardous forest fuels that can cause wildfires and improve habitat conditions for wildlife and recreation.

They are also critical for protecting communities and homes in the surrounding area from dangerous wildfires.

The smoke from prescribed fires is carefully managed to take advantage of favorable weather conditions that transport it high in the atmosphere and away from the burn site.

Land management organizations and government agencies are using the awareness month to shine a light on the importance of these “good fires.”

Controlled burns conducted by highly trained professionals are essential to the stewardship of our natural resources and the protection of lives and property.

Burns have already been conducted this year on land in Aiken State Park, Cheraw State Park, Devils Fork State Park, Hampton Plantation State Historic Site, Keowee-Toxaway State Park, Oconee State Park, and Table Rock State Park.

Slated for controlled burns over the next few months are:

• Barnwell State Park

• Rose Hill State Historic Site

• Kings Mountain State Park

Some additional burns are planned at Aiken, Cheraw, and Keowee-Toxaway.

Immediately after a prescribed burn, the area may seem unsightly for a short time. But the charred material returns nutrients to the soil, enriching the ground to make way for new growth, which emerges in as little as a few days or weeks.

Fire experts schedule controlled burns based on weather conditions, making it difficult to provide advance notice to the public. They adjust the schedule as needed to ensure the safety of local residents and crewmembers.

Current burning notifications are posted on the SC Forestry Commission’s website. Immediate advance notice is provided to local fire and law enforcement officials.