Prescribed Fires Cause Haze Over Alabama Campus

Smoke from controlled burns in Talladega National Forest blows into Tuscaloosa, raising air quality concerns.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Twice last week, smoke from prescribed burns in the Oakmulgee Division of the Talladega National Forest blew from central Alabama into Tuscaloosa, causing unexpected haze and poor air quality over the University of Alabama campus. While the smoke is a common occurrence during burn season from mid-January through April, the recent conditions were unusually severe due to weather changes that trapped the haze over the area.

Why it matters

Prescribed fires are an important tool for forest management, helping to reduce density, increase biodiversity, and lessen the severity of wildfires. However, the smoke they generate can pose health risks, especially for sensitive groups. This incident highlights the tradeoffs involved and the need for the community to learn to tolerate some smoke during burn season.

The details

The smoke was generated by prescribed burns in the Oakmulgee Division of the Talladega National Forest, which can cover over 1,000 acres at a time. Typically, the smoke dissipates quickly, but high pressure conditions this week caused it to remain near the surface in the Tuscaloosa area. This led to air quality readings as high as 171 on the Air Quality Index, which is considered unhealthy. While some students were surprised by the haze, others from the Birmingham area said they were accustomed to similar smoke events.

  • On Wednesday, March 4, the average air quality index was 102.
  • By the end of the week, the air quality index had dropped to an average of 57.

The players

Karen Garst

A junior majoring in chemical engineering who noticed the haze when getting off work on Wednesday.

Tyler McWilliams

A junior majoring in geology who is familiar with similar smoke conditions from prescribed burns in the Birmingham area.

Justin Hart

The director of the Environmental Science Program at the University of Alabama, who explained the purpose and impact of the prescribed fires.

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What they’re saying

“I noticed the haze when I got off work around three on Wednesday. It was pretty bad around campus. I could see and smell it, and I thought there was a fire, but I didn't hear any fire alarms or anything.”

— Karen Garst, junior majoring in chemical engineering (The Crimson White)

“I'm from Birmingham, so we have a lot of similar smoke conditions from the National Forest at least once or twice a year. I noticed it in Tuscaloosa about two to three weeks ago, when it first covered campus, but knowing the background and forestry, I understand why they're doing it.”

— Tyler McWilliams, junior majoring in geology (The Crimson White)

“If you think about all of the fuels that they're combusting over large acreages like that, that's an enormous amount of smoke that's being generated.”

— Justin Hart, director of the Environmental Science Program (The Crimson White)

What’s next

The University and local authorities will continue to monitor air quality and communicate with the public about the prescribed burn schedule and potential impacts.

The takeaway

While the smoke from prescribed fires can be an inconvenience, these controlled burns are a necessary tool for forest management and wildfire prevention in the Southeast. The community must learn to tolerate some smoke during the burn season in order to reap the long-term ecological benefits.