Wildfire Awareness Week is here
Wildfire Awareness Week is here
11 April 2013
published by www.claytodayonline.com
USA — State officials are reminding Floridians to use extra caution with outdoor fires as springs turns into full bloom.
Adam H. Putnam, Commissioner of Agriculture, and the Florida Forest Service said the states woodlands are at a point of increased fire risk due to recent weather conditions.
Putnams warning comes during Wildfire Awareness Week, which remembers the wildfires that raged across Florida in 1998, burning more than 500,000 acres and damaging or destroying 337 homes and structures.
Wildfires generally occur in the spring and early summer months due to a lack of rainfall, low humidity and strong winds. However, Florida is already experiencing a higher than average occurrence of wildfires near homes and neighborhoods.
“Most wildfires are caused by human carelessness,” Putnam said. “Right now, it is critical that we all do our part to prevent wildfires, especially in areas where homes and lives could be threatened.”
The Keetch-Byram Drought Index is a reference scale used 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, or no moisture deficit, to 800, which are desert-like conditions. 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.
Clay County currently has a KBDI rating of 126.
The two most frequent causes of wildfires this year are debris escaping from burn piles and arson. Since Jan. 1, the Florida Forest Services firefighters have responded to more than 1,000 wildfires on 20,430 acres.
“People should be extremely cautious while burning outdoors,” said James Karels, Florida Forest Service state forester. “If we can reduce the number of human-caused wildfires, it will increase safety for Floridas citizens and firefighters alike.”
Checkwithyourlocalcityor county officials to see if there are any burn restrictions in the area.
Keep fires contained to an 8-foot diameter pile or non-combustible barrel. Fires must be at least 25 feet from forests, 25 feet from homes, 50 feet from paved public roads and 150 feet from other occupied buildings.
Obtainaburningauthorization from the Florida Forest Service for piles larger than 8 feet in diameter. Call your local Florida Forest Service field office, which can be located at www.floridaforestservice. com/field_operations.
