Wildfire Conditions & Burn Ban FAQ

firefighter walking through smoke
 
The City of North Port is under an outdoor burn ban. 
  • No bonfires, campfires or yard debris burning
  • Grills (gas/charcoal) are allowed, but use extreme caution
  • Fire pits/cooking pits are NOT permitted

This ban will remain in place until further notice. Please help us protect our community! If you see illegal burning, report it to North Port Fire Rescue at 941-240-8150 or call 911 in an emergency.

476837956_627439869978145_6844345558742634947_n.jpg

 

The Florida Forest Service is the lead agency for the suppression of wildfires. Learn the most current information on the status of wildfires throughout the State, from the Florida Forest Service.

View several suggestions which you can implement immediately to protect your house from wildfire.

View information on how to make your home FireWise.

What is a burn ban?

A burn ban prohibits all bonfires, campfires, and outdoor burning of yard debris within City limits. It is based on information from the Keetch-Bryam Drought Index. 

The Keetch-Byram drought index (KBDI) is a continuous reference scale used by the Division of Forestry for estimating the dryness of the soil and duff layers. The index increases for each day without rain (the amount of increase depends on the daily high temperature) and decreases when it rains. The scale ranges from 0 (no moisture deficit) to 800 (extremely dry). The range of the index is determined by assuming that there is 8 inches of moisture in a saturated soil that is readily available to the vegetation.

For different soil types, the depth of soil required to hold 8 inches of moisture varies (loam=30", clay=25" and sand=80"). A prolonged drought (high KBDI) influences fire intensity largely because more fuel is available for combustion (i.e. fuels have a lower moisture content). In addition, the drying of organic material in the soil can lead to increased difficulty in fire suppression.

High values of the KBDI are an indication that conditions are favorable for the occurrence and spread of wildfires, but drought is not by itself a prerequisite for wildfires. Other weather factors, such as wind, temperature, relative humidity and atmospheric stability, play a major role in determining the actual fire danger.

Wildland fire danger index

The Florida Forest Service uses the Wildland Fire Danger Index (FDI) for estimating the potential for a fire to start and require suppression action on any given day.

It does not consider how quickly any fires that do start will grow, or how difficult they will be to suppress.

 

Back to top