65.4 F
Ocala
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Central Florida motorists warned about heavy smoke from planned burns

Central Florida motorists are being advised by the Florida Highway Patrol to take precautions on several roadways that are likely see heavy smoke in the coming days.

Planned burns are taking place in Marion, Alachua and Columbia counties that have the potential to negatively affect visibility on roadways. Those include:

  •  A 1,050-acre burn in the Ocala National Forest in Marion County that started Wednesday near 1st Street Rd. and NE 24th Street Rd.
  • A 58-acre burn in Marion County along County Road 464 in the area of State Road 35 .
  • A 15-acre burn in Paynes Prairie Reserve State Park in Alachua County.
  • An 85-acre burn in the Ichetucknee State Park along U.S. Hwy. 27 in Columbia County.

Motorists traveling near any of these planned burns are being warned that visibility may deteriorate quickly, especially during the night time and early morning hours. They also are being reminded to reduce speed and utilize low-beam headlights in order to adapt to changing weather conditions.