The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will conduct prescribed burns this spring on several wildlife management areas overseen by the DNR’s Clear Lake Wildlife Unit.
The burns will take place in Worth, Winnebago, Wright, Hancock, Cerro Gordo and Franklin counties.
Scheduled areas include Hogsback Marsh, Pilot Knob and Rice Lake in Winnebago County; Elk Creek and Grass Lake in Worth County; Union Hills and Wild Goose Marsh in Cerro Gordo County; Lower Morse and Elm Lake in Wright County; Warren E. Fox and Crystal Lake in Hancock County; and Coulter Marsh in Franklin County.
According to the DNR, prescribed burns help improve wildlife habitat, control invasive plant species, restore native vegetation and reduce wildfire risk.
Burns are generally conducted between mid-March and mid-May, beginning late morning and finishing by early evening, depending on weather conditions.
