Prescribed burns planned April 16 for Highway 40 west of Madison
WILLMAR, Minn. – Motorists traveling along Highway 40 west of Madison may experience smoky conditions while crews conduct prescribed burns on Wednesday, April 16, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
Prescribed burns are weather dependent and difficult to plan more than a few days in advance. If optimal weather conditions permit, crews will conduct the prescribed burns at four living snow fence sites.
Healthy roadside vegetation is necessary for preventing weed infestations, controlling erosion, protecting water quality, and keeping roadways safe. Fire is an important aspect of vegetation management because many types of plants need fire for ideal growth. It's used in combination with mowing, herbicide application, biological control and planting in MnDOT’s Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management program .
Fire promotes tall native grasses and flowering plants that can trap blowing snow and can reduce drifting across the road. Native prairie vegetation is planted along highway right of way to reduce the amount of mowing needed.
For more information visit MnDOT’s prescribed fire vegetation management program website.
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