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Escambia Burn Ban Lifted North Of Nine Mile Road
October 24, 2020
Escambia County has lifted a burn ban north of Nine Mile Road. The remainder of the county, south of Nine Mile Road, remains under a burn ban until further notice.
“After reviewing the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (200-299), the Florida Forest Service Fire Danger Indices (currently low) as well as surveying areas for the current status of storm debris remaining on the right-of-way, the burn ban is being lifted for residents north of Nine Mile Road.
Interim Fire Chief Paul Williams said the burn ban was lifted north of Nine Mile Road after review the current fire danger indices, the drought index and a survey of the amount of Hurricane Sally debris remaining on the right-of-way.
“These residents are still required to follow the Florida Forest Services Forest fire laws and open burning regulations,” Williams said. “We are awaiting rain to lift the other areas to suppress the wildfire potential.”
According to the Forest Service, you do not need a burn authorization to burn yard waste (grass clippings, brush, leaves, tree limbs, palm fronds, etc.) as long as:
- The pile is less than 8 feet in diameter;
- You meet the required setbacks:
- 25 feet from forests
- 50 feet from paved public roads
- 25 feet from your house
- 150 feet from other occupied buildings
- The fire is ignited after 8 a.m. Central Time or 9 a.m. Eastern Time and is extinguished one hour before sunset; and
- There are no local, city or county ordinances in place that prohibit burning.
For more information about authorizations, call Blackwater Forestry Center headquarters at (850) 957-5701.
South of Nine Mile Road, where the burn ban remains in effect, the following activities are exempt: state permitted burns, fire department training, authorized fireworks displays and fireworks sales, which are authorized by state law, and outdoor cooking in barbecue grills, smokers or other outdoor stoves located at private residences and businesses.
Comments
7 Responses to “Escambia Burn Ban Lifted North Of Nine Mile Road”
RE:Gregory Gay,
Thanks. I have COPD. If someone burns debris and their smoke is keeping me from being able to utilize my own property, that’s a problem.
There was a lawsuit years ago in Miami where a neighbor sued because of constant cigarette smoke from a neighbor keeping him from being able use his outside property and the guy won. I think that’s appropriate.
There are other ways to rid property of storm debris that are much safer for all and don’t endanger neighbors with breathing problems or the risk of a fire getting out of control.
Outside of the breathing issues for people with lung problems, allergies, kids with asthma etc. and having their private property rights violated by bad neighbors who don’t care, most people probably are not experienced enough to safely burn debris having water hoses at the ready, shovels, rakes etc. and they tend to leave fires unattended thinking they will burn themselves out. Most of the time that will likely work out but it is always unsafe.
People also tend to burn treated wood and other combustible items that create smoke that is unsafe for people who don’t have lung problems and make bad for bad pollution. It’s just not necessary.
It’s about time. If it bothers you that someone is burning. I would suggest two things. 1) Close your windows 2) Get a life.
The burn ban is NOT an overreach of government, there is an over abundance of fuel on the ground causing hazardous conditions for a perfect fire storm and it only takes one small ember for it to ignite.
That’s fine but people also need to be aware of the distance limits.. the neighbor behind us always burns within 35 ft of our garage which has our spare gas, truck and lawnmower and equipment… they don’t cover it and all the ashes and lit embers fly all over, many times ending up on our back porch and inside our garage (since we never know when they are going to burn not sure when to shut the door to garage (nightime is a favorite…which is illegal I believe)… DANGEROUS .. Oh yeah… did I mention that the gentleman is a firefighter???
IT IS ABOUT TIME! This burn ban has been a ridiculous joke and a prime example of high handed government overreach. We have NOT been in a drought and the claim that is has been about air quality is paper thin! IF they cared about air quality; they would care about the piles of debris ROTTING and MOLDING. That has been a huge problem for many since the storm. Smoke clears quickly! Living with mold blooming everywhere is a larger hazard. We have always burned yard debris after storms with no problems!
Really great news! Had my first debris pickup of my 10’ piles yesterday, over a month after Sally. Was prevented from doing further cleanup because nowhere to put it! Still have much more debris to go. The policy makes sense, especially for the more rural areas N. My 8’ brick lined pit hundreds of feet from neighbors will be firing up! THANK YOU!!!
TIME TO STOP ALL PERSONAL BURNING…ITZ REALLY BAD…CANT LEAVE WINDOWS OPEN AND ITZ UNNECESSARY. THERE IS ENUF CLEANUP EFFORTS IN THA COUNTY