Collier County to lift burn ban ahead of Fourth of July

Collier County officials announced that it is lifting the county's burn ban ahead of the Fourth of July.

Officials said the ban will be lifted on Thursday, and the decision came after a review conducted by the Collier County Emergency Management Department, Florida Forest Service, Collier County Fire Chiefs’ Association, and Collier County Sheriff’s Office.

The burn ban was initially issued in January as Florida's Gulf Coast began to face increasingly dry conditions.

Residents are advised to adhere to outdoor burning safety guidelines to prevent wildfires and reduce the community's year-round wildfire risk. For more information on safety tips, click here to visit the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' website.

Charlotte County commissioners voted to keep its burn ban in place last week after Charlotte County Fire Chief Matthew McElroy said multiple brush fires in one day and the area's drought status warranted it. Charlotte County officials will discuss lifting the burn ban in a meeting on Thursday.

Three communities — Marco Island, Sanibel, and Fort Myers Beach — have prohibited the use of personal fireworks for the Fourth of July.