Park Workers To "Light Up" Section Of Everglades Monday

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Residents of southwest Miami-Dade who notice smoke coming from Everglades National Park on Monday morning shouldn't be concerned.

Park service workers will be conducting a prescribed burn south of US 41/Tamiami Trail into park lands and West of the Shark Valley park entrance and Visitor Center.

In November 2011, park firefighters burned a large portion of this same area in a prescribed burn. Since then they've been monitoring the area, waiting for the water levels to drop in order to burn even more potential fuel for a brush fire.

Conditions developed last week that brought water levels in this area to an optimum level for the burn. Additionally, Monday's winds are forecast to be out of the North which the park service said will create safe conditions for them.

Monday's operation will begin around 10:00 a.m. (weather permitting). The planned burn area is about 31,000 acres in size.