Lazaro Aleman
ECB Publishing, Inc.
With the onset of spring and little rainfall over the past month, the Florida Forest Service (FFS) is advising county residents to use caution when doing outdoor burns.
“Even with the recent rainfall, drought-like conditions are still present across the region,” says
Todd Schroeder, mitigation specialist with the FFS. “Forest vegetation dries quickly this time of year, increasing the risk of wildfire.”
The FFS, Schroeder says, is aware that as the warm weather continues, more folks will be engaging in spring cleanups and doing outdoor burns. It therefore asks homeowners to be mindful when conducting outside burns, as it doesn't take much to start a wildfire.
“Residents may burn yard debris less than eight feet in diameter without authorization, as long as they meet the setback requirements and no city or county ordinances prohibit burning,” Schroeder says.
Per the FFS's setbacks requirements, trash fires should be kept 25 feet away from one's house and nearby brush or woods, 50 feet away from paved public roads, and 150 feet away from other occupied dwellings.
Other safety rules that apply are that the yard waste must fit in an eight-foot diameter pile or a non-combustible container; that the fire be conducted only between 9 a.m. and one hour before sunset; and that no household garbage, paper products, treated lumber, plastics, rubber materials, tires, pesticides, paint or aerosol containers be burned. In fact, it's illegal to burn the cited items.
Burners should also have a water hose, shovel or rake readily available, the FFS advises. It also advises that burns not be conducted under windy conditions; that fires never be left unattended; and that burners make sure that the smoke from the fire is not obstructing visibility on nearby roads.
Folks wishing to conduct burns that are more than eight feet in diameter or do acreage burns must call (850) 681-5951 for authorization and may need to meet additional requirements, such as having heavy equipment onsite.
The FFS, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, manages more than a million acres of state forests and provides forest management assistance on more than 17 million acres of private and community forests. For more information, visit FDACS.gov/FLForestService.