High Park will go up in flames later this month, but anyone passing Toronto's massive urban park shouldn't worry, as this annual prescribed burn is totally intentional.

The City of Toronto has announced its annual prescribed burn for High Park, and this year's controlled blaze will come weeks ahead of schedule thanks to the unseasonably mild winter — the city's warmest on record.

High Park's prescribed burn is planned to occur later in March, though the City will not select the final date until 24 to 48 hours in advance of the burn based on weather conditions.

The City announced on Monday that the annual burn would occur weeks ahead of the typical late April burn used as part of a long-term management plan to proactively protect rare Black Oak Savannahs.

Crews will carefully ignite controlled fires in locations around the park, burning low to the ground and consuming dried leaves, small twigs, and grass stems — though not strong enough to damage larger trees like the City's official tree, the oak, which boasts particularly thick, fire-resistant bark.

During the burn, High Park will be closed to vehicles, while pedestrians and cyclists will be restricted from some areas.

The City states that park users "should expect limited access near active burn sites with portions of some multi-use trails being temporarily closed to cyclists and pedestrians for 30 to 45 minutes between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m."

Notices posted at park entrances and on surrounding streets will alert the public of the burn, lest anyone be alarmed by their local park going up in flames unexpectedly.

While prescribed burns at High Park have only been taking place for a little over two decades in modern history, the practice long predates European colonization.

Indigenous peoples have a long history of using traditional burns to manage fire-dependent ecosystems, including the Black Oak woodlands and Savannahs in High Park.

In recognition of this history, the City collaborates with Indigenous representatives to incorporate traditional knowledge and ceremonies into the burn.

A fire boss has been contracted by the City to oversee the 2024 burn, and officials expect that, under "ideal weather conditions," the smoke should not affect residents and businesses in surrounding neighbourhoods.

However, the City warns that "it is possible that some smoke will reach residential areas near the parks."

"People with asthma and those who are highly sensitive to poison ivy should limit their exposure to the smoke by staying inside and keeping windows closed. Some people may choose to leave the general area of the park on the day of the burn if concerned about the smoke."