Put away those fireworks and charcoal grills.
Starting Saturday, Flagler County will become the 23rd county in Florida to impose a burn ban as the local drought index continues to climb, creating conditions more conducive for wildfires. The county last had a burn ban in 2017. It was in effect for six weeks from the end of April to the beginning of June.
The burn ban applies county-wide, including in Palm Coast, Flagler Beach, Bunnell, Marineland and Beverly Beach.
The current drought index in Flagler is 451 on the so-called Keetch-Byram Drought Index, with zero signifying saturated grounds, and 800 the driest conditions possible. The index is rising by 10 to 12 points a day.
“There’s no significant rain any time soon so we decided to go ahead and do the burn ban now, going into the Memorial Day weekend. Until we get any rain we’re going to have to hold tight on it,” Flagler County Fire Chief Don Petito said. “You’ve got the Covid going on. We haven’t done outside training, or training together. We get a fire and all of a sudden everybody is working close together or in pairs. I’d rather that not happen if we can prevent it.” The county has 97 firefighters total. Palm Coast, which has 59 firefighters, and Flagler Beach’s fire departments–with 16 firefighters, five of them part-time–face similar challenges.
“We are asking people during these wild times to use more common sense,” Palm Coast Fire Chief Jerry Forte said. “We know people want to enjoy themselves, but we have to be responsible during the holiday.”
Independence Day fireworks in Flagler Beach and Palm Coast have already been cancelled because of the coronavirus emergency, so the burn ban has no bearing on those days either way. But Flagler Broadcastin’s Rockin the Runways event, scheduled for June 26 and June 27 at the Flagler County Airport, has fireworks scheduled on both nights. Absent rain, those fireworks may have to be cancelled, Flagler County Fire Chief Don Petito said.
“We’re hoping we’re going to get some rain before that,” Petito said, seeing the next four weeks as ample time for rain events. “If we don’t get significant rain, those might be cancelled altogether with the burn ban or they might have to shoot smaller fireworks and pay for extra units all around there, because those are thick woods out there.”
Petito said it’ll be a play-it-by-ear decision that will depend on what the drought index is, and whether the county is battling any fires at the time. If the drought index is 400 or below, and no fires are going on, then the fireworks may take place, he said–with extra fire protection that the organizers will have to pay for. If the index is higher and the county is battling blazes, then the fireworks will have to be cancelled. (The airport is county land surrounded by Palm Coast. But the jurisdiction is the county’s.)
There were two fires Thursday and two today, all on the west side, Petito said. One of the fires was four acres in close proximity to houses, requiring evacuations. The fires were stopped before doing damage to structures.
Today there was a quarter acre fire in the Mondex, on Elder Street, and a car fire on the side of the road. The grass caught fire and spread flames to the woods at County Road 305 and State Road 100. “It’s a little bit volatile out there,” Petito said.
Thursday evening firefighters responded to a fire at Old Kings and State Road 100, in the Winn Dixie Plaza (Flagler Plaza), behind the Hampton Inn, following a lightning strike. County and Palm Coast firefighters were on that fire until 10:30 p.m. The Division of Forestry had to send in tractors to cut lines.
“I wholeheartedly agree with the burn ban,” Palm Coast Fire Chief Jerry Forte said this afternoon. Open burning is already prohibited in the city, but the burn ban will impose additional restrictions the city will monitor. “We actually can go out and inspect them to make sure if they have a barbecue on the backyard that they have a screen over the barbecue, that they have a hose for water in the area,” Forte said.
If there’s a complaint about fireworks or an open fire, “We usually will send a truck out and ask for a deputy to respond as well,” Forte said, “and we’ll try to find the location where it’s at. If it’s an unauthorized burn we will contact Florida Fire Service so they can write a summons. Fireworks is definitely a law enforcement issue.”
“I am glad to see this area take a proactive approach,” Flagler Beach Fire Department Captain Stephen Cox said. “Flagler County has gained a lot of experience with wildfires. With experience comes knowledge as well as lessons learned. We obviously can’t reduce natural causes like lightning, but we can minimize human contribution. If we all do our part, we can hopefully prevent an unwanted incident from occurring.”
Nineteen counties have imposed burn bans across the state, and four counties have a permanent ban on burning of yard debris, amounting to a prohibition similar to a burn ban.
The burn ban prohibits the following:
- Discharge of fireworks.
- Open burning, including the use of fire pits and containers.
- Charcoal-burning barbecue grills (propane grills and cookers allowed if attended by an adult).
- Throwing matches or cigarettes (or other burning materials) from car windows.
- Parking vehicles with catalytic converters in high grassy areas.
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PB says
I have been using a charcoal grill responsibly for almost 50 years and find this rule crazy. More rules in this area than anywhere I have lived. I thought Californians were strange!
Jimbo99 says
I don’t care if anyone stays at home, ever wears a mask for Coronavirus reasons, just don’t burn your neighbor’s house down with a weekend grill cookout or shooting off fireworks. We get sporadic rains, but it’s not been enough. The swale parking violators are going to continue that too. Catalytic converter fires are unacceptable. The list has been provided, what isn’t on there, use common sense.
John Staub says
Exactly
Roy Longo says
PB, not everyone is as responsible as you claim to be.
All my Brothers and Sisters, be careful out there.
PB says
Roy you are correct. I am responsible for my actions. Always water available and only a kettle grill with a top
Percy's mother says
PB, were you living here in July of 1998 to experience Flagler County going up in flames with a county-wide mandatory evacuation? If yes, then you understand the “rules”.
Ray - A Free American says
That wasn’t the result of a charcoal grill. If you want to live in fear don’t grill. My rights are not to be affected by you’re feeling or intentions.
Percy's mother says
Ray – Free American
1. I do not live in fear, that’s your conjecture.
2. I did not state feelings or intentions, I stated fact. FACT IS, the whole county went up in flames in July of 1998. FACT IS, the whole county was under mandatory evacuation.
3. Instead of a knee jerk response in which you state your RIGHTS are being infringed upon, how about taking the safety of the county into consideration, and by that as stated in my last post, there are reasons for rules.
Perhaps you weren’t here in Flagler county in 1998 to experience the mayhem and extreme stress everyone was under, or know a neighbor who subsequently died from a heart attack due to the stress of his house burning down in the Matanzas Woods section, or other homes burning to the ground because of WILDFIRES and DROUGHT CONDITIONS, as we have today. One would hope that working for the greater good FOR ALL would far outweigh your RIGHTS for a charcoal grill, not that I mentioned charcoal grilling in the first place.
AND PLEASE, no further stupid comebacks from someone who obviously has RIGHTS.
The Truth says
I and many others get sick and tired of those “my rights” complainers who simply can’t follow any rules because their “rights” are violated. Your rights don’t mean that you don’t follow any rules that are set forth for a reason. It’s obvious why these rules are put into place. Please spare us all your constant whining and complaining about your rights and understand that there is a very clear purpose for these and many other rules.
erobot says
That fire was caused by kids playing with fireworks.
John Staub says
The burn ban prohibits the following:
Discharge of fireworks.
Open burning, including the use of fire pits and containers.
(still good on cooking)
Charcoal-burning barbecue grills (propane grills and cookers allowed if attended by an adult).
Throwing matches or cigarettes (or other burning materials) from car windows.
Parking vehicles with catalytic converters in high grassy areas.
Steve says
As Publx has big blocks of fireworks at the end of aisles.Not much communication going on.
Land of no turn signals says says
Oh good,at least we will get a break from individuals from setting off fireworks on Memorial Day.Yea right.
Eileen S Araujo says
Yet today they did a control burn in Seminole Woods… Do as I say, not as I do..lol
Concerned Citizen says
@ Eileen
As a retired Fire Fighter and current Emergency Services volunteer.
Controlled burns are a neccesary part of fire management. If large amounts of fuel source are allowed to build up you’re in worse shape not burning than doing one. If you have build up in an area that goes unchecked and lightning hits it that’s what starts problems.
Forest says
There is no hypocrisy here. Controlled burns are necessary during dry times to prevent extremely dry underbrush from burning on its own via storm or otherwise. It would be horrible forest and fire mismanagement not to start burning out the dead and dry underbrush right now.
erobot says
Controlled burns are fire prevention. California banned them to SAVE THE PLANET and the results were and will continue to be horrendous fires in the forests.
Me says
So, when my neighbor who always sets off fireworks, and one year it flew onto my property and thought it could have caught my house on fire.
So can we call the FCSO when this starts happening?
TR says
Well if there is an order in place not to shot off fireworks. Then maybe the County shouldn’t allow the sale of them ANYWHERE within the County such as stores, parking lot tents etc. Oh but wait if they do that then the County or city will not get the revenue for the permits to allow the sale of these items. But people will just drive to another county or state (Georgia to be exact) and but the fireworks and then come home and shut them off. It’s also a waste of time to call the law because of their slow response time.
Cat 7 says
Hurricane will be here soon. You won’t need to Grill or use fireworks, we will all be floating out in the Atlantic ocean wondering which way is West !!
Sally B. says
I hope Potatoville Rd in Flagler Estates will be patrolled especially this Memorial Weekend seeing there was a unregistered four wheeler accident there this week that started a major Forrest fire that burned acres of land there. Every weekend there are hundreds of ATV’s operating there and camping out with Camp fires. It’s a free for all with no rules even though they are unregistered vehicles on public roads, having accidents, starting Forrest fires and probably the Coronavirus. They come from as far away as Miami and Jacksonville. Laws need to be enforced and this needs to be stopped.
West Flagler resident says
What woods are there at 305 and 100? There are fields on the north side, a house on the west side and an open area with a huge barn on the east side. No woods. As for the “controlled” burns, invariably they get out of control and cause more damage. We have little enough forest left as it is, stop with the hahahaha, “prescribed burning”.
Dorthy says
Lets just remember no groups of 10 or more at home bbqs(gas only), if the coomout you are at, even if family ,call the police to report it. and if you are gonna be at a bbq make sure you and everyone else is wearing a mask.
Agkistrodon says
There are no mask requirements for florida thank you very much.
Dennis says
The CDC recommends everyone wear a mask when social distancing cant be followed, including fast food drive threw and sit down restaurants. Although it is not law it is considered extremely patriotic to wear a mask. Only UnAmerican individuals would have the audasity to put evryone around them at risk. THIS IS AMERICA! We have always looked out for eachother.
Nancy Rizzo says
What number do we call to report an open fire pit going on in my neighborhood last night ?
TR says
Believe it or not there is no rule against having a fire going in a firepit within the palm coast city limits. I speak from experience. About 5 – 6 yrs. ago my neighbor had a fire going in a burn pit and the flames where around 10′
tall. I know this because I could see the flames from my front window. Called the police and was told there was no ordinance against it. I told the woman that it was the stupidest thing I ever heard and it the ambers aught my house on fire I would sue the city for being stupid.
Roy Longo says
Bob Dylan wrote ”the master makes the rules for the wise men and the fools”
These ordinances are passed not because of the responsible people cooking with charcoal, rather the irresponsible ones. In 1998 some 23 homes were destroyed in Seminole Woods because of one irresponsible person. The rest were mostly to lightning strikes.
Too much Gov says
Charcoal grills. Really? Power hungry officials. Fire the all!
A Concerned Observer says
I am curious to see if the seasonal fireworks tents will go up at Walmart parking lot and other similar locations around the county. The vast majority of what is sold there is illegal but the proprietors use the covenant and incredibly thin loophole that the purchasers of the illegal fireworks are going to use them to frighten animals from crops. I’m sure those that depend on the profit they make from these ventures will loudly proclaim “The fireworks we sell here are for frightening animals away from crops so the sale of them is an essential business.” If fireworks are banned in the county, the sale of them must also be prohibited in all stores or roadside tents. Let’s see who wins that battle.
Concerned Citizen says
A lot of complaining about frivilous stuff on here. Boohoo I can’t be annoying with my fire works.
As an FYI coming from a retired Fire Fighter and current Emergency Services volunteer.
Most of you complaining were probably not around for the 98 fires. We also had a bad fire season in 07 and the Espanola and spot fires in 2010. The County is extremely dry and desperatley needs rain fall. And a lot of it to catch up. These little afternoon thunderstorms do more harm than good with all the lightning.
Embers from charcoal and other grills can travel. Cigarrette butts thrown from vehicles (which is littering by the way) can be an ignition source because they are still hot when carelessly tossed. It doesn’t take much to get a fire going. Just look at the drought index which is at 451 and rising 10 points a day. Coupled with the extreme fire danger we are asking for trouble.
Those poo pooing controlled burns don’t realize that prescribed fire has been used in fire management for hundreds of years. And often times if not done can leave you in a worse situation. As I commented to a user above. If areas go unchecked and lightning goes in you got big problems.
Instead of whining about trivial non sense stuff why not ask how you can do you part to help? It only takes one for us to have another 98. It’s not if it’s when. Let’s all do our part to stay safe.
TR says
I was here for the 98 fires and to be honest don’t ever want to go through anything like that again, especially being it at the hands of some dumba** that doesn’t think the rules don’t apply to them.
Ray - A Free American says
Good luck with that. We live in America…..this isn’t a communist nation. I can understand fireworks as you can’t control where they land. But I’ll grill when I want. Our elected officials have way to much power that’s not afforded them under our constitution.
Concerned Citizen says
@Ray
We aren’t asking you to not grill. Just not use charcoal. Charcoal is bad about producing embers. An ember can blow a mile down the road and still be hot. Use propane or electric and grill away.
Or if you insist on charcoal because we are communist dictators, then perhaps you will volunteer your services to help us on the firelines.
Martini Millionaire says
Settle down pleb, I won’t be losing my million dollar seasonal home to plebs and their beer soaked drunken parties. Simply head out on the water to celebrate, I’ll be on my yacht, thanks for the tax break.
Go back home says
This me me me society has wrecked things for responsible people.
Name (required) says
I was told by a cop on my most recent illegal stop that throwing a cigarette from your car (lit or unlit) was an ”arrestable offense.” And I just said.. “what isn’t?” I assume it had something to do with preventing forest fires? Remember,always have your “papers” folks.
Concerned Citizen says
@ Name (required
Throwing a cigarette from your car is littering. And a citable offense. A cigarette is also a great ignition source. If you toss it out still hot and it goes into dry grass then poof. You have a brush fire.
Same goes for glass and lastic bottles btw. Those refract light. So when you toss your bottle out of the vehicle (still littering) sun hits it and can cause a fire. Just don’t do it.
Instead of having an asshat attitude about needing papers why not be a part of the solution. And not part of the problem.
I’ve worked my share of large fires. And many of them were man made. And pretty destructive.
SafetyOne says
Next time just douse your cigarette in your beer can. You will only be charged for littering.
Lol says
When it rains all day memorial day, will the ban be revoked? Or is this overstep on laws about not being able to BBQ on your property?
American Patriot says
I have noticed a scary and unusual situation happening in this area. Seems 90% of police arrest leave the person “charged” with a felony record no matter if the offense is found NOT GUILTY or GUILTY. So if I was to get pulled over for a traffic violation and questioned the officer WHY I was pulled over, he could write down that I was NON-VIOLENTLY assaulting the officer. Which means I would get a FELONY on my record. In time, it would cause 95% of the “accused” to have a Felony attached to their records. And that would give the police a reason to take away their firearms and “illegally” search their residences. I read about this happening ALL the time…….. Gee, I wonder how long America has left before our CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS are stripped away and WE the PEOPLE become slaves to the power hunger elitist who want TOTAL CONTROL of the population.
I have only one thing to say about this BS…………………………… MOLON LABE !!!!!!!
C’mon man says
My neighbor has his grandkids over yesterday. Approximately 12 people there. Who do I report that too?
J/k
Sharon says
You can call the Sherrifs office to report groups over 10! Its a shame your neighbors are willing to put others at risk just to be selfish and have family over. Some of us havent seen our own children in months now! And here you have families doing whatever they please making it worse for the rest of us!
Jack stewart says
I hope what you said was meant as a joke……….you would call on someone whos grandchildren are visiting……What the hell has happened to our country?
Nonya says
This is just what we need right now! I swear the police just need to meet their quotas or something. How irresponsible do these people think we are?! I mean, weve been sucessfully barbecuing for a hundred years and I’ve never heard the headline ‘ House Fire Starts From Irresponsible BBQer’ …plus we just got rain this morning. So…I think we should be free to make the determination for our memorial day bbq plans ourselves. We are tax paying, homeowning, law abiding citizens and adults!! We have enough banning going on. Now they want to rain on our parties and come on our properties to stop our fires and food cooking. I’m sure the police or fire dept will not be met with welcoming hospitality from us…at least from this area. Really starting to lose hope in our decision making skills at the top.
Lance Carroll says
Celebrating the rain today. Looking forward to more.
palmcoaster says
Well, no fireworks (big thanks and pawplausse from our tail wagging family members) , no charcoal grills might as well give up the memorial day weekend as is impossible to eat ribs or a big thick hamburger, anyway with a mask on, right? We just settle for shrimp creole and margaritas in the patio al fresco… no mask needed at home.
palmcoaster says
Also, how do I know if a car has a catalytic converter.., not all cars have one? Mine not worried as common sense tells me to never park on a grassy swale with the engine on or off. Swales are for drainage not for parking!
Bill says
Well this two or three days of rain most likely makes this all MOOT.