Officials with the Florida Forest Service’s Blackwater Forestry Center are issuing words of caution as wildland firefighters in Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties have responded to nine wildfires in the past week.
Cold weather and a lack of rain over the past several days has left much of the thin, highly flammable vegetation available to burn as fuel for a wildfire, according to the FFS.
- Low humidity also has increased the potential for fire activity.
“Residents are asked to be extremely cautious with any outdoor fires — burning yard debris, charcoal grills, campfires — and follow Florida’s outdoor burn laws,” said Joe Zwierzchowski, Florida Forest Service.
Those who chose to burn yard debris may do so in piles less than 8 feet in diameter as long as they meet the required setbacks and there are no city or county ordinances against it.
The setbacks are:
- 25 feet from your home
- 25 feet from the wildlands or other combustible structure
- 50 feet from a paved public road
- 150 feet from any other occupied buildings
In addition to meeting the required setbacks, it is recommended that those who chose to burn have a charged water hose along with a shovel or rake on hand.
“Never burn on windy days and never leave a fire unattended,” he said.
For more information on how to be better prepared in case you are ever impacted by a wildfire, please visit www.FDACS.gov/BeWildfireReadyFL.
