Leon County is extending its burn ban for yet another week, until May 1, as arid conditions continue in the Big Bend.
“Wildfires are burning across Florida right now, closing roads and threatening homes,” said Leon County Commission Chairman Christian Caban in a prepared statement.
“Here in Leon County, our first responders have moved quickly to contain fires and most importantly, our residents have heeded the burn ban. We are grateful for that cooperation and for the hard work of our first responders.”
He went on, “Extending the ban is more important now than ever. We will continue to monitor conditions and consult fire experts before lifting it.”
In a press release from Leon County, Florida Forest Service Director Rick Dolan this week called statewide conditions “as dry as we’ve been in 25 years” and warned Florida is bracing for another eight to 10 weeks of elevated fire activity with “no rain in the forecast.” The traditional peak of Florida’s fire season, typically late May when lightning begins, has not yet arrived.
Leon officials explain rationale for extending ban
The county said in a news release later in the day, “Since the original declaration on March 27, fire risk conditions across Florida have continued to intensify.” For example:
What can you and can’t you do during the burn ban?
What’s prohibited:
What’s allowed:
Arianna Otero is the trending and breaking news reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact her via email at AOtero@tallahassee.com and follow her on X: @ari_v_otero.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Leon County extends burn ban another week as wildfires burn statewide
Reporting by Arianna Otero, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
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