Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC) was just notified by the contractor, Prairie Restorations, Inc. (PRI), that the scheduled, controlled prairie burn will likely be conducted today so the burn is completed before the precipitation predicted for Tuesday, April 10 begins.

PRI crews plan to begin the process at the Coon Rapids about 1:30 p.m. The entire process from set-up to conclusion takes several hours.

If the direction of the wind remains the same, according to PRI, smoke should not blow toward College buildings.

Controlled burns, such as this one, are a common tool in managing native prairie area. Controlled burns are most often scheduled with short notice due to the many factors involved in coordinating the event, such as weather conditions and the availability of crews for both the contractor and the local fire department.

For more information about the controlled burn, read the recent press release at www.AnokaRamsey.edu/news/story_352.cfm. For more information about the native prairies at both campuses of Anoka-Ramsey Community College, visit http://webs.AnokaRamsey.edu/Prairie/ and http://webs.AnokaRamsey.edu/biology/Natural%20area/naturalarea.htm.

ABOUT ANOKA-RAMSEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Anoka-Ramsey Community College, with campuses in Cambridge and Coon Rapids, has been a leading provider of higher education and training in East Central Minnesota since 1978 and the north suburban area of Minneapolis/St. Paul since 1965. Annually, the college serves more than 9,800 learners of all ages as they pursue associate degrees that transfer as the first two years of a bachelor's degree, or certificate programs that lead immediately to rewarding careers. ARCC is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System.