Flagler County Burn Ban Continues Due to Wildfire Threat

Flagler County remains under a burn ban as dry conditions persist. The initial ban was enacted 10 days ago, and the county declared a state of local emergency to do so.

“We have yet to get a break, and the conditions continue to be favorable for rapid fire growth. We must keep this ban in effect until the situation changes,” said Flagler County Fire Rescue Chief Michael Tucker. “Additionally, we ask residents to remember that a good offense is the best defense. Clear the area around your house of anything that will go up in flames easily – including stacks of firewood, portable propane tanks, and dead, dry vegetation.”

The burn ban prohibits the following:

Discharge/use of fireworks, sparklers, flares, or other items containing any “explosive compound”
Open burning, including the use of fire pits and containers
Outdoor cookers and grills unless continuously attended by an adult
Throwing matches, cigarettes, or other burning materials from vehicles
Parking vehicles with catalytic converters in high grassy areas

Chapter 12, Flagler County Code, and Section 252.38(3), Florida Statutes, authorize Flagler County to declare a state of local emergency for durations of seven days and to extend them in seven-day intervals, during which time the county may waive the procedures and formalities otherwise required of political subdivisions by law.

The current Keetch Byram Drought Index (KBDI) mean is 557 for the Bunnell District that includes Flagler County, and up 3 points from the previous day. In Flagler County, separated out from the district, the mean KBDI is 591, up 6 points from the previous day, and a range of 486 on the low end and 675 on the high end.

The KBDI is a range from 0 (zero) to 800 in which 0 is the wettest condition and 800 is the dryest, or drought.

“Please take this burn ban seriously,” Tucker said. “The drought index keeps creeping up.”

The rule of thumb for taking personal protective measures, accepted by a variety of fire prevention agencies, including the National Fire Protection Association, is that all flammable items within 30 feet of a structure should be removed. Homeowners should clear roofs, eaves, gutters, wood decks and patios of leaves, needles, and other debris.

“Additionally, do not store things under decks or porches, and consider using rocks or gravel in those areas instead grass or mulch,” Tucker said. “Wind-driven fires, like brushfires, create embers that can be carried quite far, and tend to find their way to the same nooks and crannies where leaves accumulate.”

Barbecue coals should be fully extinguished before adding them to garbage receptacles.