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A legislative agricultural panel got an update on the state’s prescribed burn program Wednesday. Florida Forest Service Director Jim Karles told the panel how important the program is to the state, and that it can prevent catastrophic wildfire situations like the western part of the country has been experiencing.

“When we’ve got wetter years, we need to do everything we can, because when the dry years come it’s too late. Now the fires are on us and we have to deal with them,” he said.

The state is coming off a record year for intentional burns, where more than 246 thousand acres of land were intentionally burned and rejuvenated.