POLK COUNTY, Fla — With the Tampa Bay area's lack of rain in recent months and lingering dry conditions, Polk County has become the latest in the region to issue a burn ban.
According to a news release, the burn ban takes effect on May 28. The county has not yet released a set end date for the ban. Both Highlands and Sarasota county leaders have issued a similar burn ban in recent weeks.
Leaders say the decision was made because of where the county lies on the Keetch Byram Drought Index (KBDI). That index is used by the Florida Forest Service to determine dryness, which can help in figuring out whether conditions are favorable for wildfires to occur and spread.
Because the level of dryness could foster wildfires, the burn ban was put in place.
Under the burn ban, the following is prohibited:
- Campfires
- Bonfires
- Unpermitted controlled burns
- Burning yard and household trash
- Burning construction debris
- Burning organic debris
- Igniting fireworks
- Noncommercial burning of materials other than for religious or ceremonial purposes, in which case they must be contained in a barbecue grill or barbecue pit, and the total fuel area cannot exceed three feet in diameter and two feet in height.
The burn ban applies to all of incorporated Polk County and the following municipalities:
- Auburndale
- Bartow
- Dundee
- Fort Meade
- Frostproof
- Haines City
- Lake Alfred
- Lakeland
- Winter Haven
It was a decision leaders said they didn't make lightly and have been trying to avoid.
“Polk County Fire Rescue has held off as long as we possibly can on issuing this burn ban,” Polk County Fire Rescue Chief Hezedean A. Smith, D.M. said in a statement. “The current dry conditions are favorable for the rapid development and spread of brush fires throughout the County. Ensuring the safety of every resident and visitor throughout Polk County and minimizing the likeliness for loss of property countywide are top priorities for Polk County Fire Rescue.”
Anyone caught refusing to comply or violating the burn ban could be fined up to $500 or be imprisoned for up to 60 days.
