Clay County Fire and Rescue has set a burn ban for Clay County, effective immediately.
The ban, which is effective for a minimum of seven days, prohibits the outdoor burning of debris, yard waste, or campfires of any size. It also prohibits the disposal of incendiaries such as cigarettes in a manner that could start a grass or brush fire.
Increasingly hot and dry conditions statewide have led many counties to prohibit outdoor burning as a precaution to slow the wildfires, many which begin as outdoor debris fires.
According to the CCFR, residents can be held liable for both property damage and for Division of Forestry suppression efforts for residential outdoor debris fires which escape and do damage.
Tuesday, the average Keetch Byram Drought Index (KBDI) for Clay County was 558 with variances from 333-614. Last year at this time, the county's mean KBDI was 129.
The drought conditions for the entire state may be viewed on the DOF website at www.fl-dof.com/wildfire/index.html.
Authorities urge parents to speak to their children regarding the dangers of matches and lighters, as some wildfires are the result of careless fires set by juveniles.
The burn ban prohibits residential outdoor burning, but does not prohibit land-clearing, agriculture or silviculture burns, which are regulated by the State Division of Forestry.
Agriculture, silviculture and land clearing burns must comply with stringent Department of Agriculture regulations, have an issued authorization, and submit to an on site inspection to ensure proper setback regulations are followed and adequate equipment is on site.
Additionally, DOF officials make the decision to allow for these permitted burns only after assessing the predicted daily fire danger, humidity levels and anticipated wind conditions.
Officials stress the ban has been put in place to prevent damage to homes and property, and to ensure the safety of residents during this dangerous wildfire season.
Any outdoor burning should be reported to Clay County Fire Rescue via 911.
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