Lee County enacted a burn ban Tuesday due to increasingly dry weather conditions, prohibiting outdoor burning in both unincorporated areas and municipalities to reduce the risk of wildfires.
According to Lee County officials, the ban includes campfires, bonfires and trash burning but does not apply to grills used for cooking.
The decision comes after the county’s drought index exceeded the threshold necessary to implement a ban.
On Monday afternoon, the Keetch-Byram Drought Index registered a mean average of 612 out of 800, surpassing the required 600.
The ban was coordinated with the Lee County Fire Chiefs’ Association and the Florida Forest Service, both of which supported the action.
Exceptions to the ban include prescribed burns authorized by the Florida Forest Service, public fireworks displays permitted by Lee County and government agencies, and fireworks sales allowed under state law.
The Board of County Commissioners enacted the measure by declaring a State of Local Emergency. Officials will continue to monitor drought conditions to determine when the ban should be lifted.
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