Bemidji,
Minn. — The Minnesota Department of Transportation is conducting a
prescribed burn along Highway 75 southwest of Crookston on Tuesday,
April 28.
Trained
prescribed burn crews monitor these burns. Burns operations are
conducted to promote native prairie vegetation growth and control weeds
and brush.
Traffic should not be affected and Highway 75 will remain open during the burn.
Prescribed burns are scheduled during optimal weather conditions to ensure safety and effectiveness.
Native
prairie vegetation is planted along highway right of way to reduce the
amount of mowing needed, which saves taxpayer money. Burning serves as a
safety measure. Prescribed fire is used to control brush and small
trees near the roadway, which would otherwise become safety hazards.
Fire promotes tall native grasses and forbs that trap blowing snow and
prevent it from drifting across the road.
Several
prescribed burns remain on MnDOT’s schedule in northwestern Minnesota
and will be done as weather conditions and road construction schedules
allow. Others are:
· Highway 75 in Polk County north of Crookston
· Highway 75 in Marshall County between Warren and Stephen.
· Highway 75 in Kittson County between Halma and Lake Bronson.
MnDOT
urges motorists to always be attentive, drive with caution, slow down
in work zones and never enter a road blocked with barriers or cones.
For real-time traffic and travel information anywhere in Minnesota, visit www.511mn.org, call 5-1-1 or log on to www.mndot.gov.
