After The Burn.......

I was out in the Ocala National Forest with the girls today.  We saw where the Forest Ranger Service had been out 1 day earlier doing a controlled burn.  They deliberate light parts of the forest on fire with blow torches after they have placed the necessary  support rangers  and heavy equipment to keep the fire contains and controlled.  The weather was perfect...   heavy humidity in the air, little to no wind, rain a few days earlier.  The animals are able to escape as the fire isn't raging, the trees don't catch fire, just the old tinder and leaves on the forest floor.  You could see some charing on the bark, but not higher than 4 or 5 ' high, up the tree.
     All if this is done  to keep the tinder from summer fires from catching fire and burning up houses, animals, buildings, companies and raging out of control, destroying everything.  The acrid, burn smell was very strong and the girls wouldn't walk through the black ash.  They also sneezed and shook their heads a great deal.