Did you pass by Toronto's High Park on Friday and think the park caught on fire? Well, don't freak out just yet because it was planned and on purpose.
The city of Toronto tweeted on April 16 that they will be "preparing for a #PrescribedBurn in #HighPark this spring 2022. The burn can produce short periods of smoke and reduced visibility in the neighbourhood. Please keep windows closed during the burn if near High Park."
Prescribed burn in Toronto's High Park.Lance McMillan | Narcity
The burn was scheduled for April 29 as the forecast "predicts optimal weather conditions," they said in a press release.
The park was closed at 7 a.m. on Friday and will re-open once the smoke has "dissipated," which they predict would be by the early evening.
To ensure the safety of the park's users, there will be restricted access from the public to and surrounding the burn sites.
Prescribed burn in Toronto's High Park.Lance McMillan | Narcity
For anyone worried about the effect of this prescribed burn, you should know that the deliberate fire is beneficial, according to the city.
In a tweet, they said that it is a controlled fire, it "consumes ground cover and invasive plants, improves soil [and] mimics natural and Indigenous use of fire."
And for all you animal lovers out there, don't fret, the rabbits are safe. Apparently, before the burn begins, the staff sweep for any wildlife, and "burns occur outside nesting periods & before hibernating animals emerge."
Prescribed burn in Toronto's High Park.Lance McMillan | Narcity
"A prescribed burn is a deliberately set and carefully controlled fire that burns low to the ground and consumes dried leaves, small twigs and grass stems, but does not harm larger trees. The City has been safely executing prescribed burns in High Park for almost two decades," the city of Toronto states.
So, hopefully, this only means that the park will be blooming and growing for many years to come.