News Releases

21Oct
Controlled Burn Scheduled for C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir
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News Release

For Immediate Release

Contact: Brandon Moore
bmoore@tampabaywater.org
(727) 791-2304 

LITHIA, Fla. (Oct. 21, 2025) –

Tampa Bay Water plans to conduct a prescribed burn on the C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir property (Chito Branch Reserve) on Wednesday, October 22, on the West Pruitt mitigation area just east of Hobson-Simmons Road. The burn area totals about 103 acres.  

Prescribed burns are only conducted when weather conditions allow, and are conducted by certified, experienced personnel. Permits are obtained from the Florida Forest Service prior to initiating the burn. Efforts will be made to ensure that smoke will not affect nearby roads. However, vehicle operators should exercise caution in case smoke leads to reduced visibility on the area’s roadways. 

The map below shows where the prescribed burn will take place.

A close-up map of the burn area's boundaries is below.  

Burning is scheduled to begin around 9:30 a.m. and finish by 3 p.m. Tampa Bay Water contacts the Division of Forestry, reservoir security and the Southwest Florida Water Management District ahead of the burn.  

Updates regarding specific control burns will be posted on Tampa Bay Water's social media pages. Controlled burns are part of Tampa Bay Water’s land management program. The controlled burns are prescribed to remove nuisance plant species, encourage the growth of native species, and decrease wildfire severity by reducing the amount of flammable vegetation on-site. 

 

About Tampa Bay Water 

Tampa Bay Water provides wholesale water to the public utility systems of Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties, as well as the cities of New Port Richey, St. Petersburg and Tampa. To learn more about Tampa Bay Water, please visit tampabaywater.org.