ATLANTA (AP) - Alabama fire officials say Georgia residents might see and smell smoke from a controlled burn being planned.

Fire Management Officer Scott Layfield tells WSB Radio (http://bit.ly/ImNFk0) that the burning of around 400 acres of land is scheduled for Friday, south of the Heflin, Ala., area.

Layfield said authorities expect the smoke to drift to the northeast, which could send it over parts of northwest Georgia.

Several residents of metro Atlanta reported smoky conditions Thursday as a larger controlled burn took place in the Talladega National Forest in eastern Alabama.

Layfield said Friday's controlled burn is a smaller area, and he doesn't expect that it will produce as much smoke as Thursday's fire.

Controlled burns are used to manage wildfire danger by burning away brush, trees and other potential fuel for fires.