If you were in Scarborough Wednesday, you might have noticed smoke rising from a large hayfield along Broadturn Road.
Despite the sight, there was nothing to be worried about.
The smoke came from a controlled fire conducted by the Maine Forest Service and the Scarborough Land Trust, with support from the local fire department, on a 30-acre hayfield. This practice burn was meticulously planned and accounted for wind direction and moisture levels.
"The burn will help with the regrowth of the hayfield and benefit the land in the long term," said Andrew Mackie, the land trust's executive director. According to the U.S. Forest Service, grass and plants that regrow after a fire are typically healthier because the ash left behind contains nutrients that act as a natural fertilizer.