SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – A burn ban remains in effect in Seminole County as of Thursday due to an elevated fire risk.
The Seminole County Fire Department said it’s adding staff to some units in order to meet a higher response level right now.
Lt. Dave Williams spoke to News 6 about the increase in fire activity in April.
He said crews in Seminole County have been called to 32 incidents of either brush fires, outside fires or illegal burns. Only a third of those calls required multiple units, and the largest was one that crews assisted Volusia County Fire Rescue with.
[TRENDING: Become a News 6 Insider]
“Usually, the peak of fire season comes around Mother’s Day. Right now, we’re already there,” Williams said. “So, we’ve increased the fire activity so much that we have upstaffed units to cover these brush fires.”
Over the weekend, firefighters were called to a blaze in the Lake Harney Woods area. Williams said the department is sending multiple units to calls like that, including tankers, battalion chiefs, engines and the woods truck, in case they are needed.
He showed our crew the resources they have available. Every truck and every tool is essential and contributes to the department’s teams, who are aggressive in response and extinguishment.
“The heat, humidity, the wind. The sea breeze change in the afternoon. Right now, the lack of precipitation is the worst part,” Williams said.
He explained the data driving the elevated risk, referring to what’s known as the Keech-Bryan Drought Index, a metric used to gather information about how dry the conditions are.
“Currently the KDBI is 548 for Seminole County. In comparison, this past weekend it was 519. We’ve seen a 30-point jump in five and a half days,” Williams said. “The higher that number is, the more extreme the fire behavior we see. In 1998, when we had the firestorm the KDBI number was in the 700-800s. So, continuing the pace that we are at, we are reaching what could be a potentially very active fire season this summer.”
Williams said the number needs to go below 500, and we need a significant amount of rain before the burn ban will be lifted in Seminole County. Until it does, no outdoor burning is allowed.
According to the department, it relies on the public to be proactive when there is an increased fire risk. It encourages people to call in when they see something. They do believe the burn ban has helped so far because people are more aware of the fire danger.
To report a violation of the burn ban, contact the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office at 407-665-6650.
You can also find more information and tips to protect your property from wildfires in Seminole County here.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: