PALM BAY, Fla. – The Palm Bay fire chief on Thursday imposed a burn ban until further notice as the local drought index continues to grow, reflecting increasing dryness that could worsen brush fires in the area.
The Keetch-Byram Drought Index for Brevard County has reached 500, prompting a temporary ban on open burning pursuant to County Code Section 50, the Palm Bay Fire Department said in a statement on social media.
Recommended Videos
The ban prohibits campfires, bonfires, trash-burning, and other similar forms of open incineration. The prohibitions do not include state-permitted burns, use of barbeque grills, authorized fireworks displays, and fireworks sales if authorized by state law, the post states.
Sec. 50-1. - Open burning.
(a) Prohibitions. Open burning (to include campfires, bonfires, trash-burning and other similar open incineration) is hereby prohibited when the following conditions are present:
(1)The Keetch Byram Drought Index County Averages map, as published by the Florida Forest Service (or future state office or agency which provides drought information), calculation for Brevard County meets or exceeds 500; or
(2)The chair or (where the chair is unavailable) the acting chair, in consultation with the county policy group (if activated) or (where the policy group is not activated) the county manager or designee, orders open burnings and the sale and use of fireworks (as defined in F.S. § 791.01) prohibited.
Such prohibitions do not include state-permitted burns, use of barbeque grills, authorized public fireworks displays and fireworks sales which are authorized by state law, including where the wholesale seller directly ships such fireworks outside of the county, without the purchaser participating in any such shipment, except the purchaser may pay for the costs of shipping.
Brevard County, Florida - Code of Ordinances Chapter 50 - FIRE PREVENTION AND PROTECTION | Sec. 50-1. - Open burning (excerpt)
Several fires have been reported out of Palm Bay over the last two weeks, the latest being a fast-moving brush fire Thursday in “The Compound”.
Palm Bay firefighters on April 28 responded to a brush fire that threatened buildings in the area of the 6100 block of Babcock Street SE, as well as another brush fire the day prior in the U.S. Space Force Malabar Annex that forced the evacuation of nearby homes. Earlier in April, another brush fire in the Compound was said to have been accidentally started by rocketry enthusiasts.
After the April 28 brush fire, News 6′s James Sparvero walked with Assistant Fire Chief John Ringleb through the charred woods off Babcock Street.
“Dry conditions, heavy winds, really sort of pushed this fire and made it larger than it initially came in as,” Ringleb told Sparvero. “It’s that time of the year (...) Anything’s able to sort of catch fire on a whim.”
Review the Brevard County Code on open burning by clicking here.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: