Photo courtesy of John Luepke The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Division of Wildlife conducted a prescribed burn on state land located near Nicollet County Road 12 and Kuester’s pond Tuesday night. A DNR forester, Jacob Froyum, said the prescribed burns are done every four to 10 years to control invasive species and stimulate plant flowering and seed production.

COURTLAND — Outdoor enthusiasts may have wondered what the bright fire and smoke was near Nicollet County Road 12, near Kuester pond, north of Highway 14 Tuesday night.

The fire was planned and on state land by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Division of Wildlife. This procedure is called a prescribed burn

“Prescribed burns are a state management tool to control invasive species and reinvigorate the site. Most of these sites are burned every four to ten years. March through May is the best time for prescribed burns because there is less green up,” said DNR Forester Jacob Froyum.

Most Minnesota landscapes were significantly influenced by fire for thousands of years. Fires occurred naturally from lightning strikes, or more often, intentionally set by Native Americans to enhance hunting and foraging opportunities,” according to the DNR.

Benefits of prescribed burning include maintaining or enhancing rare species habitat, killing above-ground shrubs and small trees, allowing sun-loving plants and animals to thrive, helping control invasive species, creating new, green growth and stimulating plant flowering.

For more information, visit https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/parks_trails/pat-resource-management.