Manatee County Enacts Countywide Burn Ban Due to Dry Conditions

MANATEE COUNTY — Due to ongoing hot and dry weather conditions and an elevated wildfire risk, Manatee County has enacted a countywide burn ban, effective immediately. 

Manatee County Emergency Management officials say the ban includes any item containing an explosive compound, sparklers, products using or containing pyrotechnic composition, flares, open burning , and campfires due to increasingly dry conditions. 

The following activities will continue to be allowed under the burn ban: 

• Outdoor cookers or grills, provided they are attended at all times by a responsible adult while in use
• Liquefied petroleum gas devices such as grills, camp stoves, fire pits or other devices that solely burn liquefied petroleum gas, natural gas, butane, naphthalene or other liquid fuel, provided they are attended by a responsible adult at all times
• Agricultural, silvicultural and land-clearing burns authorized by the Florida Forest Service when sufficient fire suppression equipment and personnel are on site 
• Properly permitted public fireworks displays with adequate fire suppression equipment and personnel on site
• Flares discharged over the Gulf 

All previously permitted public fireworks displays will continue as scheduled and remain subject to existing fire safety requirements. 

"It only takes one spark to start a fire under these conditions," said Emergency Management Chief Matt Myers. "We encourage everyone to avoid activities that could unintentionally ignite a fire and to follow the burn ban until conditions improve." 

The burn ban will remain in effect until further notice. 

For more information, visit mymanatee.org/burnban.