Release Date: 5/4/2026
Natural Resources
Abstract
Smoke in the air may come from prescribed fires, wildfires, or burning trash. Prescribed fires are planned and set by trained professionals to keep forests healthy, support wildlife, and lower the risk of wildfires. Wildfires, by contrast, are unplanned and uncontrolled. They can create a great deal of smoke, especially in areas that haven’t burned for years. Smoke from any fire can be harmful to breathe, but websites like Whyprescribedfire.org and the Florida Forest Service Fire Response Viewer, as well as tools such as the Air Quality Index (AQI) and the AirNow digital app, help people monitor area fires and air quality; make smart choices; and stay safe on smoky days.
About this Publication
This document is FOR416, one of a series of the School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date April 2026. Visit the Ask IFAS website at https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu for the currently supported version of this publication. © 2026 UF/IFAS. This publication is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
How to Cite
Crandall, R. M., Milligan, L., Bond, L. A., Godwin, D. R., & Rodgers, P. D. (2026). See Smoke? Smell Smoke? Be in the Know. EDIS, 2026(3). https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-fr487-2026



