Area fire departments will be on hand for a controlled burn taking place in rural Washington County tonight. The public is invited to attend Marr Park’s annual prairie burn to watch the fire set to be lit by Washington County Conservation Board staff at 8 p.m.

Naturalist Pam Holz will hold an educational program at 7:30 p.m. She says it will cover the role prairie and controlled burns have played in Iowa’s history. She’ll also go over what you need to know in order to conduct your own.

Attendees are encouraged to arrive prior to 8 p.m., as it’s possible the fire in the north prairie will burn out quickly after it’s lit. Wet and windy weather could cancel the event.