Texas A&M Forest Service holding prescribed burn in W.G. Jones State Forest

The Texas A&M Forest Service announced in a news release Jan. 6 that a prescribed burn will be held Jan. 7 at W.G. Jones State Forest as part of routine forest management efforts.

What you need to know

Located along FM 1488 on the west side of I-45, the prescribed burn will begin during the morning, according to the release. The area being burned totals 104 acres within the forest, according to Texas A&M officials.

This practice is "considered a standard forest management tool for endangered species habitat restoration, undergrowth vegetation reduction, and providing for community safety; the prescribed burning will take place as weather permits," the release states.

According to the Forest Service, the purpose of prescribed burns is to reduce the chance of larger-scale wildfires from occurring by:

• Reducing/removing older vegetation
• Improving sunlight access to the forest floor
• Providing training opportunities between state and local emergency services

What else?

In the release, A&M officials said they will be working with local first responders to ensure safety during the operation, and portions of the forest undergoing the burn will be off limits to the general public.