BREVARD COUNTY, Florida – The start of the rainy season, local weather forecasts highlighted by daily shower activity, and a drop in the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) prompted suspension Monday of Brevard County’s burn ban, which had been in place since April 11.
The ban prohibited campfires, bonfires, trash burning and other incineration due to extremely dry conditions and the increased safety risk posed by numerous and active wildfires across the state, including Brevard County. In early April, Florida Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency following increased wildfires across the state.
The burn ban, Ordinance 2017-12, provided the chairman of the Board of County Commissioners authority to suspend the ban when the KBDI for Brevard County, as published by the Florida Forest Service, fell below 450. BOCC Chairman Curt Smith suspended the burn ban on Monday, when the KBDI was reported at 423.
Photo credit: US Fish and Wildlife Service Fire
