Gov. Kay Ivey has proclaimed March 2026 as Prescribed Fire Awareness Month in Alabama to highlight the role controlled burns play in protecting natural resources, wildlife habitat and communities across the state.

The proclamation came at the request of the Alabama Prescribed Fire Council, a coalition of state, federal and private organizations working to raise awareness about the benefits of prescribed burning. The effort is aimed at educating the public about how carefully managed fires support land stewardship while helping safeguard lives and property.

Prescribed burning is the planned application of fire under specific weather and fuel conditions to meet forest and land management goals. The practice has deep roots in Alabama’s heritage, dating back to Native American land management traditions that used fire for crop management, pest and insect control and improving hunting habitat.

Today, land managers continue to use prescribed fire with careful planning and expertise. Burns are conducted only when weather, fuel and atmospheric conditions allow fires to be safely controlled and effective.

The approach plays a significant role in maintaining Alabama’s forests. The state has nearly 23 million acres of forestland, much of it dependent on periodic fire to remain healthy and productive. Prescribed burning also helps reduce excess vegetation that can fuel dangerous wildfires.

“Prescribed fire is the most effective, natural, and economic protection against wildfires through the reduction of accumulated fuels,” Ivey said in her proclamation. “It is critical to the ecological integrity of our natural resources.”

Although prescribed burning cannot eliminate wildfires entirely, forestry officials say it remains the most effective management tool available to reduce the likelihood of large and destructive fires.

According to the Alabama Forestry Commission, approximately 1 million acres are treated with prescribed fire in the state each year. Most of those burns occur on privately owned land, where landowners and forestry professionals work together to manage forests and wildlife habitat.

Alabama Forestry Commission Prescribed Fire Program Coordinator Rickey Fields said the practice provides multiple benefits for both forests and wildlife.

“Each prescribed burn has numerous benefits,” Fields said in a news release. “Alabama’s forests are naturally adapted to fire and have historically burned on regular cycles. When prescribed fire is used responsibly and under the right conditions, it’s one of the most effective tools we possess to maintain forest health, support wildlife habitat, and reduce the risk of severe wildfires.”

Forestry and land management officials say the awareness month is designed to help residents better understand why smoke may occasionally be visible from controlled burns during the spring and fall seasons. Those carefully managed fires, they note, are part of an ongoing effort to protect Alabama’s forests and reduce the threat of uncontrolled wildfires.