Get ready to see some smoke as the U.S.D.A. announced Monday its plan to burn some 117,000 acres throughout the state’s national forests during the next six months.

Depending on the weather, some 25,500 acres of the Conecuh National Forest, which is located in Escambia and Covington counties, will be among those to under go the transformation.

“Fire is used as a critical management tool to improve plant and animal habitat and the resiliency of forest landscapes to withstand drought, insects and disease,” said USDA spokesperson Takela Underwood. “At the same time, prescribed fire reduces the accumulation of hazardous fuels or forest undergrowth decreasing the threat of future wildfires.”

While no specific date for the local burns were released, Underwood said all controlled fire activity is dependent on the availability of trained Forest Service personnel, equipment, weather, fuels and conditions that minimize smoke impacts as best as possible.

“During a controlled burn, the public may notice smoke in various parts of the national forest,” she said. “Drivers should use their low beam lights if they encounter smoke on the road.”

Maps that highlight controlled burn areas can be viewed at www.fs.usda.gov/alabama under the “Know Before You Go” section.

For more information about the scheduled burn, contact the office at 334.222.2555.