Burn Ban Set For Clay County

A burn ban has been set for Clay County, effective immediately. This ban, which is effective for a minimum of seven days, prohibits the outdoor burning of debris, yard waste, or campfires of any size. It also prohibits the disposal of incendiaries (i.e. cigarettes) in a manner which may start a grass or brush fire.
The increasingly hot and dry conditions statewide have led many counties to prohibit outdoor burning as a precaution to slow the wildfires-many which begin as outdoor debris fires. Residents can be held liable for both property damage and for Division of Forestry suppression efforts for residential outdoor debris fires which escape and do damage.
Today, the Keetch Byram Drought Index (KBDI) for Clay County is 558 (mean), with variances from 333-614. Last year at this time, the Clay mean KBDI was 129. The drought conditions for the entire state may be viewed on the DOF website www.fl-dof.com/wildfire/index.html.
Parents are urged to speak to their children regarding the dangers of matches and lighters, as some wildfires are the result of careless fires set by juveniles.
Officials stress the ban is to prevent damage to homes and property, and to ensure the safety of residents during this dangerous wildfire season.
Any outdoor burning should be reported to Clay County Fire Rescue via 911