- September 7, 2024
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Flagler County enacted a burn ban effective 5 p.m. on June 5 and the ban remains in effect for seven days.
The county issued an emergency order to enforce the ban, which must be renewed every seven days, per Florida Statutes, according to a press release from Flagler County. The Keetch Byram Drought Index — which ranges from zero to 800, where 800 is the driest condition — placed Flagler County at 518 on June 5. As of June 7, according to the Palm Coast Fire Department, the KBDI is at a 552.
“The conditions are becoming favorable for rapid fire growth so this action will help,” said Flagler County Fire Rescue Chief Michael Tucker. “In addition to the ban on burning, remember that a good offense is the best defense. Clear the area around your house of anything that will go up in flames easily – including stacks of firewood, portable propane tanks, and dead, dry vegetation.”
The burn ban prohibits the following:
The Palm Coast Fire Department also issued a drift smoke alert for the area. Residents may see or smell smoke, PCFD Lt. Patrick Juliano wrote in an email, but it is not from a local fire. Anyone who sees active flames should call 911.
To take protective measures, residents should remove all flammable items within 30 feet of a structure and clear off roofs, eaves, gutters, wood decks and patios of leaves and other debris. Barbecue coals should fully extinguished before being disposed of and homeowners should not store things under decks or porches, the press release said.
