Forestry chief clears the air after a smoky first Saturday of spring

March 21 marked the first Saturday of spring, and the weather was spectacular.

Around Baldwin County, however, a relatively thick haze of smoke lingered later into the afternoon, especially in low-lying areas like the Oconee River Greenway, which basically looked like an old Grateful Dead concert.

The main culprit was a controlled burn at the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge, located roughly 35 mil…