CENTRAL FLORIDA — Flagler County implemented a burn ban as of 5 p.m. April 23 and extended it to May 7 on Wednesday because of ongoing dry weather conditions. It has declared a state of emergency to enforce it.

The move came a day after Brevard County implemented a burn ban, joining bans previously put in place by Seminole, Orange, Volusia and Lake counties. Those burn bans remain in effect.

The Flagler ban includes the discharge or use of fireworks, sparklers, flares or other items containing any “explosive compound,” open burning, the use of fire pits and containers, outdoor cookers and grills unless continuously attended by an adult, throwing burning materials like matches and cigarettes from vehicles and parking vehicles with catalytic converters in high grassy areas.

Flagler County's state of local emergency can be declared for seven days and be extended in seven-day intervals, during which time the county may waive the procedures and formalities otherwise required of political subdivisions by law.

The Brevard County ban applies to open burning, such as bonfires, campfires, trash burning and other incineration countywide.

The Seminole ban also is countywide and prohibits the ignition and burning of open fires.

The Orange County ban prohibits all outdoor burning without a permit and covers all unincorporated areas of the county, as well as municipalities serviced by Orange County Fire Rescue. That includes Edgewood, Belle Isle, Oakland and Eatonville.

Volusia County put an outdoor burn ban in place for unincorporated areas as well as Oak Hill, Lake Helen and Pierson because of unusually high drought indicators.

Lake County has had a burn ban in place since March 25.

All outdoor burning not authorized by the Florida Forest Service is prohibited. This includes the burning of yard trash, household paper products, bonfires, campfires, warming fires and cooking fires. Outdoor cooking done with a contained gas or charcoal grill (excluding a fire pit) is permissible under the ban. Lake County excludes pits that have a total fuel area of 3 feet or less in diameter and 2 feet or less in height from the ban.

In Brevard County, the ban excludes the use of barbecue grills, authorized public fireworks displays and fireworks sales, which are authorized by state law.

Outdoor burning of yard waste is banned year round in Orange County.

Burn bans in Florida are issued when the Keetch-Byram Drought Index reaches 500. In Volusia County, it currently is 517, and in Lake County, it has exceeded 550.

The drought index measures soil dryness on a scale of 1 to 800, with 800 being desert-dry.

Usually, when the KBDI rating falls below 500 for five consecutive days, residents will be notified that the burn ban has been lifted.

Even though no other Central Florida counties have reached a KBDI rating of 500, all of Central Florida is rated high on the Wildland Fire Danger Index. The FDI is an estimate of the potential for a fire to start and require suppression, according to the Florida Forest Service.

Fire crews with Volusia County and the Florida Forest Service are currently fighting a wildfire near New Smyrna Beach. 

In Volusia County, ban violations are punishable by a fine up to $500 and/or imprisonment in county jail for up to 60 days. Volusia County Fire Rescue personnel issue violation notices to any person found in violation of the burn ban and also will extinguish any fire not authorized by the Florida Forest Service.

Central Florida is currently in its dry season, and cold fronts that often bring rain to the area have been mostly dry in March and April, according to Spectrum News 13 meteorologists. Stronger-than-normal winds recently have helped dry out vegetation. They are forecasting a few possible sprinkles Wednesday but mostly dry conditions through Friday.

Fire officials urge Central Floridians to practice wildfire safety measures to protect themselves and their property.

• Do not discard cigarettes from moving vehicles.
• Do not park a hot car or operate all-terrain vehicles on dry grass.
• Check lawnmowers and farm equipment for properly working spark arresters.
• Extinguish fires when cooking outdoors, and never leave fires unattended.

Residents can help protect their home by:

• Allowing a 30-foot buffer of non-combustible material around your home.
• Cleaning the roof and gutters regularly.
• Teaching family members how to use a fire extinguisher and testing smoke detectors regularly.
• Raking leaves and dead limbs and twigs and clearing flammable vegetation.
• Having a garden hose long enough to reach any area of the home and property.