Controlled Burn Covers Tuscaloosa in Smoke Tuesday

A controlled burn in the Oakmulgee District of the Talledega National Forest south of Tuscaloosa is believed to be the reason the Druid City was covered in smoke Tuesday afternoon.

Holly Wigham, a spokeswoman for the Tuscaloosa Fire Rescue service, said that they were not responding to any active fires Tuesday afternoon.

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"We are assuming [the smoke] is part of the Forestry-controlled burn from this weekend," Wigham said.

The Oakmulgee Ranger District of Talledega National Forest said on Facebook that they would be conducting a controlled burn of approximately 1,458 acres Tuesday.

Several burns were also completed south of Duncanville over the weekend.

"Forestry was doing a large burn in the National Forest this weekend," said Wigham. "They didn't give us a specific location, but said there was a very good chance Tuscaloosa will be covered in smoke."

Talladega National Forest said that they use controlled burns as a "management tool to remove excessive ground debris to help reduce the size and severity of wildfires and improve plant and animal habitats."