HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – Hillsborough County is keeping the matches away for at least another seven days. County Administrator Bonnie Wise signed a fresh executive order today, April 30, marking the 16th week in a row that residents have been ordered to skip the fire pits and fireworks.
The ground is just too dry to take any chances. Local officials say drought conditions aren’t going anywhere and will likely stay “high to very high” through the rest of May.
The numbers across Florida tell a scary story: since January started, more than 1,900 forest and brush fires have already scorched nearly 120,000 acres of land.
Under this latest order, almost all outdoor burning is off the table. This includes sparklers and those backyard fire pits that have become popular lately. If you’re planning on cooking outside, you can still use a barbecue grill, but you have to stay with it the entire time the flames are going.
READ: Southern Wildfires Explode As Record Drought Fuels ‘Preparedness Level 4’ Crisis
There are a few other exceptions. Some farmers in the southern and eastern parts of the county can still burn agricultural plastic on weekdays between 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m., provided a supervisor is on-site.
State officials noted that this specific type of burning doesn’t create the kind of flying embers that usually start wildfires. Any other burning has to be specifically cleared by the Florida Forest Service.
Safety experts are asking homeowners to do their part by clearing out “fuel” around their houses. That means cleaning dead leaves and twigs off roofs and out of gutters. They also suggest moving firewood piles at least 30 feet away from the house and being careful not to park cars over tall, dry grass, as hot engines can easily start a fire.
Because of state law, these emergency orders only last for one week at a time. If the rain doesn’t show up to soak the ground, the county will likely have to extend the ban again next Thursday.
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