Burn bans are in effect for parts of the Treasure Coast to reduce the risk of wildfires, county officials announced.
The bans follow a red flag warning issued for most of Florida’s east coast that ended Feb. 6. A red flag warning means weather conditions are ripe for wildfires or will be shortly.
The burn bans in Indian River and St. Lucie counties went into effect Feb. 7 and include each entire county area. No ban has been issued in Martin County.
All of Indian River County except a sliver in the western part and all of St. Lucie County as well as Martin County are suffering from a severe drought, according to the U.S. drought monitor, which is published by U.S. government agencies.
Most outdoor burning is banned in St. Lucie County, excluding agricultural burning, which is permitted on a case-by-case basis, county officials said. Only outdoor burning permitted by the Florida Forest Service is allowed in Indian River County, county officials said.
A brush fire on land off Oslo Road between 20th and 27th avenues southwest grew to about 23 acres leading to the evacuation of the Bradford Place condominium community July 27, 2025. Mop-up efforts continued July 28 to ensure the fire did not reignite.
Burning of yard trash, household paper products, bonfires, campfires, warming fires, outdoor fireplaces, and chimineas are prohibited in Indian River County. Cooking fires in the county are allowed only if permitted by the Florida Forest Service or the cooking occurs in a gas or charcoal grill.
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Outdoor burning in St. Lucie County of any combustible material is prohibited as are campfires, bonfires, warming fires, outdoor fireplaces, fireworks, and cooking fires unless the cooking is done inside a gas or charcoal grill.
Motorists are urged to avoid driving over dry, grassy areas.
Keith Burbank is TCPalm’s watchdog reporter covering Martin County. He can be reached at keith.burbank@tcpalm.com or at 720-288-6882.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Two Florida counties ban most outdoor burning