In the western US we call this type of fire a “fire use fire”. But only if a fire management plan allows for this type of fire, and all of the predetermined conditions are met.
From a story in the Charlotte Observer:
A fire has been burning on an island near marker 10 off Stonemarker Point on Lake Norman since Tuesday evening, officials said.
The fire was reported around 7 p.m. Tuesday to the N.C. Division of Forest Resources district office in Mount Holly.
Brian Haines, a spokesman for NCDFR in Raleigh, said rangers from the division have been allowing the fire to burn on the 18-acre uninhabited island because it doesn’t pose a threat to people or properties.
“It’s not going to go anywhere,” Haines said. “It’s surrounded by water so you have a natural fire break there.”
The island is located in Lincoln County off McConnell Road, and can also be seen from southern Iredell County at the end of Brawley School Road peninsula in Mooresville.
This morning, two rangers went to the island that’s about 500 yards off shore to torch the fire to help it burn faster and reduce the amount of smoke.
Haines said most of the smoke in the area is drifting into the Charlotte area from controlled burning occurring South Carolina and not the island.
“The island is not the major factor of smoke coming into Charlotte, “he said.
The cause of the fire hasn’t been determined yet.
“It may have been somebody who camped over the weekend and did not fully extinguished their fire,” Haines said.
