The last day of prescribed burns that took place Wednesday in the Lakeshore Nature Preserve near the western edge of the University of Wisconsin campus experienced some difficulties due to weather. 

Most of the burns, however, were cancelled because winds were not cooperating, according to Adam Gundlach, research gardener for UW Facilities Planning and Management.

The burning took place in an area near Tripp Hall and Lot 34, just below Observatory Hill, Grundlach said.

Grundlach said students should not have to take any precautions when it comes to the burning. He said when smoke starts moving in the direction of campus, crews would generally stop their burning in order to avoid any possible hazards.

“We are trying to make the area as safe as possible but the winds are not cooperating,” Grundlach said. “When we were burning today, smoke came toward campus so we shut it down. We have a specific plan to keep things controlled.”

In the case of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve, fire is used to inhibit and push back invasive species and promote the native plant communities, a UW statement said. The prescribed burns act as a management strategy to help control weeds and stimulate growth of fire-adapted communities, the statement added.

These fires are meant to restore native plant communities and prevent new species from growing in the area, according to Grundlach.

“A lot of the species we are trying to discourage from moving in are not immune to fire,” Grundlach said.

Wednesday served as the last day for burning until fall, according to Gundlach. Due to weather conditions, he said the burn season does not start and end on specific dates.

Due to the particularly “awful” weather this year, burning was not conducted till mid-April, Gundlach said. But in other cases, he added, it can start as early as March.

The preserve is relatively close to campus and other surrounding residential neighborhoods, the statement said. For this reason, the statement added, the prescribed burn program relies on specific wind and weather conditions to make sure smoke stays away from at-risk areas.

The statement said the prescribed fires that are conducted in fall and spring are used to manage and prevent incidents such as wildfires.

The Lakeshore Nature Preserve did not respond to a request for comment.