Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.
A large swath of the Big Bend has received only 1.53 inches of rain since Sept. 1, an amount that is 8.24 inches below normal. The most recent data released through the U.S. Drought Monitor indicated that as of Nov. 13 most of Jefferson County registers at intensity level D3 (Extreme Drought). This is the second highest level on their scale, which includes None, D0 (Abnormally Dry), D1 (Moderate Drought), D2 (Severe Drought), D3 (Extreme Drought) and D4 (Exceptional Drought).
Because of the drought conditions, Jefferson County Fire Rescue (JCFR) Chief Derrick Burrus has enacted a ban on all outdoor burning until further notice.
The announcement, made on Wednesday, Nov. 19, specified that “the setting of fires to any debris piles, grass, brush or forest covered land, unless authorized by the Florida Forest Service, shall constitute a violation of law.” This followed an announcement on Nov. 10 of “Red Flag conditions” with an advisory of “no outdoor burning.” The JCFR notice does, however, allows for “ordinary grilling.”
The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) is produced through a partnership between the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. USDM updates can be viewed at droughtmonitor.unl.edu. For local updates from JCFR, follow the Jefferson County Fire Rescue page on Facebook.