Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

Michigan Department of Natural Resources has scheduled a number of prescribed burns Wednesday across southern Michigan, including in Oakland and Washtenaw counties.

The burns and their start times are:

• 1 p.m.: 30 acres in Oakland County's Highland Township to set back invasive shrubs and stimulate native prairie plants; this is expected to benefit grasslands birds.

• 5 p.m.: 9 acres in Washtenaw County's Sylvan Township to reduce invasive weeds and stimulate planted prairie grasses for the benefit of the threatened eastern massasauga rattlesnake.

Prescribed burns are one way the Michigan Department of Natural Resources keeps lands and forests healthy. The burns are conducted by highly trained DNR personnel in designated state-managed areas during appropriate weather conditions and in cooperation with the proper authorities and local units of government.

Public safety is a top priority during all prescribed burns, which sometimes are canceled at the last minute due to careful monitoring of weather and wind conditions.

For more information on the DNR’s fire management activity, visit the link below.