Prescribed fires, also known as controlled burns, refer to the planned and controlled use of fire by a team of experts under specific conditions of temperature, wind, and humidity. Prescribed fire is used to help restore ecosystems that depend on fire, reduce the risk of out-of-control wildfire, and increase community and firefighter safety.
Wildfires, on the other hand, are unplanned fires ignited by careless people or lightning, under whatever weather conditions are present when they start. Wildfires differ from prescribed fire in terms of management strategies, cost, effects on the ecosystem, threats posed to communities and firefighters, and the intensity and duration of smoke.
