The Nature Conservancy is gearing up for its controlled burn season, which runs January through August. People who live in and near longleaf pine forests from the Sandhills to the Coast may soon see smoke in the air as TNC and its conservation partners conduct controlled burns to restore the forest. Longleaf pine forests are adapted to frequent, low-intensity fires. These fires knock back shrubs and other vegetation—allowing plants such as Venus flytraps to thrive on the forest floor. Some plants need fire for their very existence; wiregrass won’t reseed unless it is exposed to fire. Deb Maurer, Southeastern North Carolina Program Director for the Nature Conservancy, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss why people should use caution.